Read "A Rough Shaking" by George MacDonald online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
As Clare came down the next morning but one, there was the child again on the dark narrow stair. She had no doll. Her hands lay folded in her lap. She sat on the same step, the very image of child-patience. As he approached she did not move. I believe she held solemn revel of expectation. He laid his hand on the whitey-brown hair smoothed flat on her head with a brush dipped in water. Not much dressing was wasted on Ann -- common little name!
She rose, turned to him, and again laid her arms about his neck. No kiss followed: she had not been taught to kiss.