Zack. I meant no harm, Virginia. It's a thing that's grown from nothing like, and I don't know how it grew so fast. Mrs. Munning (_entering_). What is it, Paul? Paul. Zack and Joe Wrigley's girl. Now go on, Zack. What have you done? Zack. I've got to speak it out before you all and with Virginia hearing, too? Virginia. I'll go. Paul. Why should you? Virginia. Because I prefer it, Paul. (_Exit Virginia._) Mrs. Munning. We're waiting, Zack. Zack. Well, there isn't much to tell that you don't know about, mother. Mrs. Munning. I! Zack. You started the whole thing off. Mrs. Munning. When? Zack. You mind that day when Martha came to tell us Joe had broke his arm and Martha took on so in our parlour. Mrs. Munning. Well? Zack. Well, that's it. Mrs. Munning. That! Zack. Yes. You came in when I was trying to console her and---- Mrs. Munning. I caught you kissing her, if that's what you mean. Wrigley. Ah! That's a point. I'd been waiting for that to come. Zack. I know I kissed her, but it wasn't a meaning kiss. She was blubbing and she wouldn't hush and so I kissed her like I'd kiss a baby to console it. Wrigley. You kissed her. That's enough. Zack. But it weren't for pleasure, Mr. Wrigley. She was too wet. Mrs. Munning. He kissed her all right. I saw it. What about it? Wrigley. He's got to marry her. That's all. Mrs. Munning. Now what has kissing a girl to do with marriage? Wrigley. A lot. He's going to marry her because you said so. Mrs. Munning. I? Zack. That's the trouble, mother. You did say something, joking like. You said, "When's the wedding?" and I joked back and said, "About a month," and Martha took it serious and told her father, and he told other people and it's all over the village. It's expected of me now, and I suppose---- Mrs. Munning. Be quiet, Zack. Zack. You told me to tell you. Mrs. Munning. Keep your mouth shut when I tell you. You only open it to give yourself away. Wrigley. You needn't trouble, missus. He's done all that. Mrs. Munning. Done what? You know he'd no intentions, and he hasn't any now. He's made no promises. Wrigley. He's promised and he's made her presents. Mrs. Munning. You'll have to prove that first. Wrigley. Prove? Where's that parcel, Martha? (_Martha comes timidly forward with it._) Open it. See that? Mrs. Munning. This? Crusts of bread and bits of meat! Wrigley. That's it. Bread you baked and meat from what you had for dinner yesterday. Mrs. Munning. How did you come by this? Zack. I saved them from my food. She told me she was always hungry and I felt that sorry for her. Mrs. Munning (_giving the parcel to Martha_). You're too soft to live. Well, that's only giving charity, Joe Wrigley. Wrigley. With lots of folk it might be, but it's something else than charity when one of your family starts giving things away. Mrs. Munning. It's nowt to do with marrying and promising, so what it is.