"What is it?"
"Boobies!" The older children, especially the boys, snickered at this while the younger children only stared with confusion. Prudence and Rebecca said nothing, but their faces turned bright red in unison. Samantha felt her own face turning warm. She bit down on her lip to keep the tears at bay.
"That is not a nice word," Samantha said.
"Why not?"
"It just isn't."
"But-"
"Shut up! Or else I'll send you down to the woodshed."
Helena met Samantha's glare for a moment, as if daring Samantha to punish her. Then she looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry."
"Good. Now, let's get back to the lesson." Samantha managed to get through the rest of the lesson without crying. After dismissing the children, she hurried into the forest, finding a thicket in which to be alone. There she let the tears flow at last.