Her attitude to Bess was often peculiar, it was almost as if she resented her daughter being left when her adored boys had been taken from her.

Bess never knew how she would be received, for sometimes her mother would seem unable to bear her presence, and at other times would unreasonably chide her for neglect.

It began to dawn on Ingred how very lonely her friend must be.
She had secretly envied her the possession of Rotherwood, but now she realized how little the house itself would mean without the happy home life in which brothers and sister had borne their part.
"I'd rather have the bungalow with the family, than Rotherwood all alone!" she ruminated.

"As for Muvkins, she's one in a million.

I believe she'd be cheery in a coal cellar, so long as she'd a solitary chick to keep under her wing.