Honestly, it hurt that her mother would say such a thing about her, but she kept her mouth shut because there was nothing she could say or do to get into her mother's good graces. It was strange being the black sheep of the family, just because she made better choices than some of her siblings morally speaking... Not that she was perfect by any means. She liked men that were from the other side of the tracks. Wait until her mother heard about her being courted and falling in love with Joe... oooh, she was going to be so angry!

Her lips pressed together hard and she said, "I was just inviting her over for tea, mama, to discuss that book she brought me while I was ill."

Olivia hastily nodded in agreement. There was a solitary sniff as she continued to compose herself. Indeed, Olivia was an accomplished liar among her other genteel skills.

"Most kind of you, truly. I am anxious to hear what you thought of it."

"Oh that awfully stupid girl!" Anne said. "You must tell the housekeeper and tell her I order her to sack that girl." For all Anne knew the maid could have blinded her daughter forever! And then who would want her!?

Wait... people would really feel for her if she had a blind daughter.

But this was Olivia, not Pearl.

"Oh, I don't think it's a good idea if you go over to that shack, Livvie, dear." She put an arm around the older girl. "People talk poorly enough about your sister. But she seems to enjoy all attention, good or bad. But you're too smart and good for that, sweetheart. Pearl," and she now turned to her youngest daughter as if she hadn't been there before, "why don't you come home if you want to discuss something with your sisters. It isn't fair on them and very selfish of you to expose them to public ridicule like that."

"It's a house, mother," she said flatly, not caring how the woman took her tone, "And it's home to me. You'd better get used to it." She lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes filled with anger now. She was done with this. "Papa wants to see you in the library anyways, right Olive?"

Even if Pearl did like the theatre, her mother could be such a witch sometimes. Yet the fact she had just ruined some unsuspecting maid's life with her fibbing did not register with her.

"Perhaps now we shall find out what all the fuss is about." Olivia said rising and adjusting her robe.

A hardening of the eyes and straightening of the mouth betrayed the cool and quiet rage that came over Anne when her daughter spoke to her with such insolence. "No Olivia," she said and she took her daughter's arm to stop her. "I don't take orders from your father like I'm his servant, and neither will you. If he wants to speak to us, he can come find us."

She had finally had it with her mother and how she treated her. Pearl said, "It isn't a request for you to shuck off. He's expecting you. Just you, mother. And he is in a mood." She gave a cold smile. "I suggest you follow his orders this time and stop acting as if you are a monarch to be waited upon." And with that, she started to walk out of the room.

Olivia stood silently with her mouth slightly open at her sister's outburst. Two conflicting thoughts ran through her head:

The first:

How dare Pearl respond to her mother like that?

and a second much quieter thought:

Somebody had the courage to say something.  I wish it had been me.

Anne stared and glared at her daughter in rage. She was quiet for a few seconds and then smiled at the girl. "Oh darling, it's not your place to comment on your father and me. You have no experience with how relationships work. Well, unless you count your little adventure with a brute in a cave. That's not the civilized world, darling." And she turned on her heel and left the room to seethe in her own chambers.