The child was screaming behind the locked door, words coming out between sobs. "Why....did....aunty....Del ....hit me?"

Del let her head fall against the door, eyes closed. "Come on out, Hettie, I didn't mean it."

"No!"

Her eyes crack, looking at the chipped lens in her had. She could probably fix it; it was her laziness that had led to this whole scene. She'd watched the kids for her sister a hundred times as part of the arrangement for her apprenticeship in Liverpool. She almost never took out her work while doing it, but she'd been so excited at learning a new skill that she had decided to show the 7 and 5 year old the new technique...by which they were immediately bored.

When she returned to the room to recover her things, she found Hettie inventing a more fun use for the lens by skimming it across the hardwood floor like a puck. Delphine hardly remembered slapping the girl and scrambling for the lens, it happened so fast. And now, here they were - Hettie locking herself into a closet.

"I'm sorry Hettie. I am. I was upset. Just come on out. I'll play dolly tea time with you." It's a huge concession, to her mind, since she hates playing that game, but her sister will be home soon.

Silence in the closet.

Then..."I think I lost the key."

Delphine groans, closing her eyes again.