He moved nearer. For all his efforts, he found it impossible to make his voice altogether matter-of-fact.
"You've had a hard day, I'm sure. You'd better speak to Diantha and then let me take you home."
She rose to her feet unsteadily, holding the child with the peculiar awkwardness of the woman in whom the maternal instinct is lacking. But as she passed on before him, her husband saw that the tiny hand still curled tendril-like about her finger.