"Finish your pear." If there was one thing more than another in Hester's behavior that annoyed Mrs.Gresley--and there were several others--it was Hester's manner of turning her food over on her plate and leaving half of it.
Hester did it again now, and Mrs.Gresley, already irritated by her unpunctuality, tried to look away so as not to see her, and prayed for patience.

The hundred a year which Hester contributed to the little establishment had eased the struggling household in many ways; but Mrs.
Gresley sometimes wondered if the money, greatly needed as it was, counterbalanced the perpetual friction of her sister-in-law's presence.
"Father!" "Yes, my son." "Isn't it wrong to drink wine ?" Yes, my son." "Then why does Auntie Hester drink it ?" Hester fixed her eyes intently on her brother.

Would he uphold her before the children?
"Because she thinks it does her good," said Mr.Gresley.
She withdrew her eyes.

Her hand, holding a spoonful of cold rice pudding, shook.

A delicate color flooded her face, and finally settled in the tip of her nose.