The circumstances of his own family had never fallen below the point at which it is possible to have regard for decency; the growing up of himself and of his brothers and sister had brought additional resources to meet extended needs, and the Mutimer characteristics had formed a safeguard against improvidence.
He was never quite at his ease in this poverty-cumbered room, which he seldom visited.
'You ought to have a fire,' he said.
'There's one in the other room,' replied Kate.

'One has to serve us.' 'But you can't cook there.' 'Cook?
We can boil a potato, and that's about all the cooking we can do now-a-days.' She moved to the door as she spoke, and, before leaving the room, took advantage of Richard's back being turned to make certain exhortatory signs to her sister.

Emma averted her head.
Kate closed the door behind her.

Emma, having removed the eatables to the cupboard, came near to Richard and placed her arm gently upon his shoulders.

He looked at her kindly.
'Kate's been so put about with Bertie,' she said, in a tone of excuse.
'And she was up nearly all last night.' 'She never takes things like you do,' Richard remarked.
'She's got more to bear.