Mum Returns...

...after stretching her legs for a short while. And they were all quite safe in her absence!
She actually came into the front room, where I was keeping Kitten company to shout at me about something!
So I followed her back into 'her room'. The plates were empty so I gave her some tuna in oil.
After a nibble at that, she got onto my lap for a few minutes before rejoining her pups.
She wasn't bothered by Kitten being in the front room- she just doesn't want him near the pups yet.