Edwin looks anxiously at Rosalie, but she seems intent on her sewing. Still, of course, she heard. Poor Rose! And Mean Asia for saying out loud what all of them think. Rosalie’s spine has developed a kink so she’s begun to stoop, a little like Richard III. She has to work now not to limp when she walks, a limp being something Father will not abide. Asia would have said more, but Johnny has cut her off, deftly, before further damage can be done. “Edwin daydreams too much,” he is saying. “Asia must learn to control her temper. What about me needs fixing?”

This is interesting enough to silence even Asia. What will Mother say about her favorite, her perfect shining boy? The log in the fireplace collapses with a crack and a fountain of red sparks.

“You need to work harder at school,” Mother tells him.

“I work like the devil,” Johnny says. “I’m just no good at it.”

“You’re as smart as they come,” Mother says firmly.

Shortly after this conversation, Johnny will tell Edwin that he’s hit on a method of improving his schoolwork by envisioning columns of spelling words and problems in arithmetic as enemy soldiers. He does better thinking of them as foes to be fought rather than things to be learned. Edwin will think this a very clever way to get around not being clever.

“Me next,” says Joe. “Now me.”

Rosalie puts her sewing down, pulls him into her lap, rests her cheek on top of his head.

“Joe must learn to be more cheerful,” Mother says, “and save his moping for when something is really wrong.”

“I’d be happy if I was a seagull,” Joe says. He’s been flying about the house for several days now, flapping his arms and calling out, “Scree, scree, scree.” This is the first time he’s tried to explain why. Edwin would laugh if he were sure Joe was trying to be funny, but he might not be. Joe is a strange, morose little boy.

The tempest has passed. Asia does not go to her room. Johnny does not play dominoes. Only at bedtime does Edwin realize he never did find out what it was Mother said three times to him.

ii

Enter Edwin.