He hadn't meant to actually strike the child. His hand had flown of its own accord; her temper flared, his matching. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. Neville was a model of temperance and an iron will. No one had goaded him into physical confrontation in more years than he could remember.

Mary. She was glaring at him now, visibly shaking. There was a red mark forming on her face. Her eyes, even hate-filled and furious beyond words, were striking. Hazel. Almost golden.

Like Lily's.

"You may go," he barked, and as he pointed to the door he indicated she exit through, she flinched, but stood her ground. A flare of something – remorse? Shame? – was brushed aside as irritation rankled him; she was barely saving face. Her damned pride demanded she not shed the tears he could see were forming in her eyes.

How many times had Neville looked at his own father like that?

She turned, then. Unable to bear the thought of letting herself cry in his presence, Mary fled, and Medlock's housegirl went after her, clearly terrified.

Neville's clenched fist morphed into an open palm before he pounded the tabletop, rattling the abandoned teacups in their saucers. It wouldn't do to vent frustrations with closed fists. He was a doctor.

He looked up, and his gaze found hers. Lily's. Of course. The damned portrait wasn't covered.

She'd been rendered immortally with startling realism, her eyes alight on the canvas, full of love. For Archie, of course. Always Archie.

Never him.

Neville drew the black curtain hatefully. And just because it was satisfying to actually express his anger, instead of smoothing it away with even tones and gentle smiles, Neville swept the table violently, sending the tea things shattering to the floor, deriving a fierce sort of pleasure from the fact that Mary would probably be blamed for the broken china. The whole household knew of her fiery temper.

-o-

I have a goal to write more this year! I think posting my fanfiction stuff on here can help keep me motivated!

I may or may not have been in the Secret Garden Musical this last summer. I may or may not have watched this scene multiple times. We had two different actors for Mary, and both were phenomenal in this scene, tbh. Just a blurb to help me keep writing. :)

~Angeladex