CLARA. Where shall Maggie and me stop whilst the supper is going on, master? Mistress has not told us yet. THOMAS. [_Nervously_.] Mistress haven’t told you—haven’t she? Well—well—at such a time we must all—all rejoice one with t’other, like. No difference made t’wixt master and man. Nor t’wixt maid and missus. Down at the far end of the table you can sit yourselves, my wenches. Up against George—How’s that? CLARA. That will do very well for us, Master. MAGGIE. I don’t expect as missus will let we bide there long. THOMAS. Look here, my wench, I be master in my own house, and at the asking in marriage of my only sister like, ’tis me as shall say what shall sit down with who. And there’s an end of it. That’s all. MAGGIE. I hear them a coming in, master. [EMILY, _holding the hands of_ JESSIE _and_ ROBIN, _comes into the room_. _Her eyes fall on_ THOMAS _who is standing between_ CLARA _and_ MAGGIE, _looking suddenly sheepish and nervous_. EMILY. [_In a voice of suppressed anger_.] Thomas! O, if I catch any more of these goings on in my kitchen. [JOAN, _very elegantly dressed and hanging on the arm of_ MILES HOOPER, _follows_ EMILY _into the room_. EMILY. I’ll not have the food kept back any longer for Luke Jenner. If folk can’t come to the time when they’re asked, they baint worth waiting for, so sit you down, all of you. [_She sits down at the head of the table_, _a child on either side of her_. JOAN _languidly sinks into a chair and_ MILES _puts himself at her right_. _A place at her left remains empty_. THOMAS _sits opposite_. _Three places at the end of the table are left vacant_. _As they sit down_, GEORGE, _wearing a new smock and neck handkerchief_, _comes in_. EMILY. [_Beginning to help a dish_.] You need not think you’re to be helped first, Clara, for all that the party is given for you, like. The poor little children have been kept waiting a sad time for their supper, first because you was such a while a having your head curled and puffed out, and then ’twas Luke Jenner as didn’t come. [CLARA _sits down at a place at the end of the table_. GEORGE _and_ MAGGIE _still remain standing_. EMILY. [_Perceiving_ CLARA’S _movement_.] Well, I never did see anything so forward. Who told you to sit yourself down along of your betters, if you please, madam serving maid? [GEORGE _comes involuntarily forward and stands behind_ CLARA’S _chair_. CLARA _does not move_. EMILY. Get you out of that there place this instant, do you hear? [_Turning to_ MILES.] To see the way the young person acts one might think as she fancied herself as something uncommon rare and high. But you’ll not take any fool in, not you, for all that you like to play the fine lady. Us can see through your game very clear, can’t us, Mr. Hooper? MILES. O certainly, to be sure, Missis Spring. No one who has the privilege of being acquainted with a real lady of quality could be mistook by any of the games played by this young person.