Edmund couldn't understand why Tobias was arguing.  It wasn't his life, or his ability to read and write, or his children.  He wished they could just move on from this topic - he was embarrassed as it was, and he really didn't want Mable to say something that would upset the man.

"She's just - she's just a kid," he tried.  "I can't expect her to me a teacher to me, not while I'm taking care of her."  Mable bit her lip, though her eyes kept flicking between her food, Edmund, and Tobias.

In response to which Tobias looked over at the girl, who seemed to be about to burst into another waterfall of words.

[CW for implied child abuse.]

When Tobias looked to Mable, so did Edmund. Something was on the tip of his tongue, but the girl was faster.

“Y’know, I have tried to teach him! But it’s difficult to learn when - when you don’t have pencils or paper because they keep getting blown away in the wind, or lost in the grass, or damaged by the weather! Or they’re isn’t any light because we’re working during the day, because our dad is - sick, and mean, and I imagine it’s hard to read with a black eye -“

“That’s enough,” Edmund snapped, his own volume surprising him. He let go of his sisters hand and rubbed his forehead, hiding from Tobias’ gaze. A moment, and then a shaky exhale.

“I’ll learn,” he said. “Does it matter how?”

Tobias regretted pushing the children. Or rather, he regretted what it brought about in Edmund. His old man had been violent, then? He had expected there to be more to the story, just not something like this. The lad's timid ways made sense now, and Tobias suspected that his sister was only the opposite because he had sheltered her from the violence.

"Aye," he said, with more determination now. "Ye will." He'd find a way. He'd help them.

Oh shoot... he was doing the thing again.

"Ye 'ave a whole life ahead of ye to learn and improve and lead a dignified life." He didn't know whether it was the right thing to say, or whether the boy would feel it was overbearing, but he wanted to speak some comfort and encouragement to the kid.