And he had had a letter from that nurse only the other day, that was another one, stuck up she had been and not fit to look after anyone much less Master John. But he hadn’t liked her, oh no she knew her Master Johnnie he didn’t hold with her sort, and quite right too. The good Lord knew what she was. She hadn’t liked to trust him a moment out of her sight when she was there. And she that would not take her meals in the hall and her no better than anyone. What did she think herself she would like to know. Oh it had been a mess-up everybody knocked off their feet, as it might be, by this happening. Mr. William hadn’t known which way to turn and it was the first time as she had seen him flustered. And she had not slept so much as a wink in three nights nor had cook with thinking of what he would want to eat what time he came back from hospital. Mr. William had not known such a thing happen ever, and he was a knowledgeable man. And Mr. Weston had worried himself about the fruit that he could ’ave peaches and grapes so that old Pinch could not remember anything like it ever, not that he was liable to, useless rude old man that he was. There had been the time when he had said to her quite sudden like “I ain’t a-goin’ to die yet awhile so don’t you worry” which was all on account of her asking of him kindly as to ’is health, which no one could take offence at. But he was of the sort as drop down sudden. And there was Annie, poor body that was half-crazed, and for a week, when they had told her she said nothing but “Deary me” she felt it too poor soul, of course she did, as if they wasn’t all fond of Master John. It was a mess-up. But with Christmas coming on you really didn’t know where you were, what with the happenings and everything, though it was all settling down now. But there was this girl he was walking out with which didn’t bear thinking of. She would knit him a muffler that would keep him warm and there wasn’t many as knitted as close and firm as she did if she didn’t go quite so fast. And the socks for Eliza’s new baby, Harriet they was going to call her and a good name it was, grandma had been a Harriet. Then there was Joe who was to marry next month, he would want a wedding present, something useful as would be a standby. He was a good boy that and a good son to his mother, her twin, as was dead now. Twelve brothers and sisters, the good Lord had been favourable to her mother, and six of them dead and gone now and four nephews killed in the war one after the other. But there was eight left. Joe had been too young to go, but now he was marrying and was in a good position, and there would be children and she would knit them socks....