Tiny Pippin tired easily and even Merry couldn’t cajole him into crawling much, or to begin walking when the grown-ups thought he should. But Briony was not worried, saying Pippin would walk when he was ready.

Then one day Merry fell from a tree. Briony gave Pippin a biscuit to keep him busy as Hortensia bandaged Merry’s sprained arm.

“Poor my Mer,” Pip said tearfully, and the three watched dumbfounded as Pippin tottered across the room to press the now-soggy biscuit into Merry’s good hand. He patted his cousin’s leg comfortingly.

“See?” Briony sniffed. “He just needed a good reason.”