It had been a rule for years never to disturb father in the morning, whatever happened.

And now they were going to open the door without knocking even...

Constantia's eyes were enormous at the idea; Josephine felt weak in the knees.
"You--you go first," she gasped, pushing Constantia.
But Constantia said, as she always had said on those occasions, "No, Jug, that's not fair.

You're the eldest." Josephine was just going to say--what at other times she wouldn't have owned to for the world--what she kept for her very last weapon, "But you're the tallest," when they noticed that the kitchen door was open, and there stood Kate...
"Very stiff," said Josephine, grasping the doorhandle and doing her best to turn it.

As if anything ever deceived Kate! It couldn't be helped.