Next the shopkeeper came back through the door into the shop.
“I’m ready now,” he said, “and I’ll take you up to the Big House so that I can show you the kitchen before his Lordship finds out that Mrs. Jones has left.”
He paused to smile at her.
“When he does,” he continued, “he’ll tell me to find him someone else and I don’t mind sayin’ it’ll be really hard as the village has had enough of him now to last them a lifetime.”
“I can see it’s very difficult for you,” Iona replied.
By this time they had walked outside and the boys were still holding the ponies as she had told them to do.
She gave them each a two shilling piece and they stared at it with delight.
Then the shopkeeper said sharply,
“Come along boys! What do you say to the lady? I’m sure you’ve got manners as your mother a
