Violet was sitting in her violet frock and mauve tights on the carpet. She was holding her doll, whose head had just been pulled off by Dominic. Her expression was of surgical interest, interrupted.

Dominic was hiding behind the door. He burst out on his mother with a yell. She caught him laughing and held him off.

"Now don't be naughty, darling. Look who I've brought up to see you. This is Ruth."

"Wooth," said Violet. She widened her eyes, and dropped her headless doll. Standing up, she raised her skirt. "Ook. I've dot villip panties." She had.

Dominic pointed at the violet panties. "Rude."

Violet came slowly and determinedly across the floor to Ruth, staring at her. "Do you wand teer my song?"

Pamela said, "Not just yet, darling. You can sing to Ruth in a minute."

Dominic shouted, with great force, "Ruth! Bloody old Ruth!"

"Darling!" cried Pamela. "They pick up this swearing," she added. "Now you mustn't say things like that."

"Bloody!" shouted Dominic. He beamed at his mother. "Bloody old Ruth!"

Pamela ignored him. Violet had gripped Ruth's hand.

"Luff, luff medoo," sang Violet on one note.

"She likes the Beatles," said Pamela.

"Luff, luff medoo," sang Violet. "Luff, luff—"

"Actually," said Pamela, "Ruth, do you think you could hold the fort here for a minute? There's a phone call I should have made…" She backed into the doorway and Dominic said, "Bloody phone."

"Now, Dominic, I've told you not to use that word." Pamela was gone.

Dominic looked up at Ruth.

"Who the hell are you?"

Ruth did not answer.

Violet said, "She's the opar." She seemed to be making a concentrated effort to speak in an odd, cute way.

"She's ugly," said Dominic, "and she's stinky. Stinky Ruth."

Ruth looked down at Dominic.

Dominic held her gaze for perhaps ten seconds and gradually his own flattened out. Then he turned away and punched Violet briskly on the arm. Violet fell at Ruth's feet. "He hid me." She took hold of Ruth's leg. "I wan Mommy. Mommy pud me terbed. I wan my doll. My doll's called Penny she's god real hairan she widdles bud he pulled haheadov."

Dominic went to the window and Violet sobbed but without tears, looking up to see if Ruth would respond. Ruth did not respond.

At the window Dominic tensed.

"There it is." He glanced at Ruth. "It's a fox. Mommy says the council men will come and poison it."

Violet said, "Smelly old fogs. It goes in the dudspin."

"Mommy put out some poison," said Dominic, "but the old fox didn't eat it."

"Kill the fogs," said Violet.

Ruth walked over to the window and Violet let go of her jeans perforce and sprawled on the floor.

Dominic had eased open the window and was leaning out.