She’s glad to escape, I think, and open her mouth, because she daren’t do it in the house. And she chatters away like a magpie; used to talking to herself most of the time by the sound of it, because I leave her at it.” “Does she do for you?” He turned and glanced at her, a twinkle in his eye now as he said, “Aye, for most things.” And when she lowered her head and went on with her chopping, his voice altered slightly and he said, “She’s a canny soul. I give her two shillings a week, and by! you would think I was giving her gold dust. I don’t think she tells the others what she gets, for her father sends her over in payment for the odd jobs I do for him now and again. Payment in kind, so to speak, ‘cos he won’t part with a ha’ penny He must have a tidy packet put by. I wondered the other day what would happen when he kicks the bucket. I’d like to bet they’ll all go stark starin’ mad with spending. I’d like to see it. In fact I’d take them all into Hexham in the cart.
