An eruption of bubbles, reflecting John’s silvery blonde hair was left in his smacking hand’s wake. He laughed cruelly as his blow struck Jane’s flushed cheek, and she tumbled to the sand-covered floor, trembling.

“How can you treat me so?” She inquired, sobbing loudly through wide grey eyes. “I’m your cousin!”

“You look at me as if we are equals,” John barked at her, his whole face sneering at the young mermaid. “You may be my cousin, but your parents were poor before they died. If it wasn’t for Mama, you’d be out on the sandbanks, starving! You aren’t even of the servant’s class; you are below them. Get out now, orphan! Your blue blood is trickling onto my tail.”

“I refuse to be treated like this!” Jane screeched, and put up a struggle when John made a grab at her. Just then, Mrs Weed floated in, and looked at Jane in a disgusted manner.

“How dare you hurt John like that!” she scolded, and did not listen to Jane’s protest. She then took the young maiden, bruised and bloody, and punished her accordingly.