“I’ve had enough,” she announced. “More than enough. You’re big girls now. Far too big to be cluttering up my house, lying around like pigs in a sty and never lifting a finger except when you want to push food into your greedy, grasping mouths. There’s nothing I can do with that useless lump you call your father, but I was a Mousewater before I was stupid enough to take up with a Canker, and Mousewaters have always earned an honest wage. Now, you two may be Cankers by name, but you’ve Mousewater blood in you — so out you go, and don’t come back until you’ve got work. Understand?” The twins looked at each other. Conducta shrugged, and Globula rolled her eyes. Thistly saw the exchange and picked up a rolling pin. Her daughters heaved themselves to their feet and dragged themselves to the door. “You’ll be sorry for this, Ma,” Conducta said grimly as she lifted the old wooden latch. “Really sorry,”
