“Well, well, well,” said Joshua, “every little helps, and I expect you’ll find her more use than you think for. Even a child is known by its doings, as Solomon says.”
Mrs Greenways interposed hastily, for she feared the beginning of what she called Joshua’s “preachments.”
“You’d like to have seen her, maybe; but she’s gone with Agnetta to the Vicarage to take some eggs. Mrs Leigh likes to see the gals now and then.”
Joshua made his visit as long as he could in the hope of Lilac’s return, but she did not appear, and at last he could wait no longer.
“Well, I’ll go and have a look round for Peter,” he said; “and p’r’aps you’ll send Lilac up one day to see me. She was always a favourite of mine, was Lilac White. And I’d a deal of respect for her poor mother too. Any day as suits your convenience.”
“Oh, she can come any day as for that, Mr Snell,” replied Mrs Greenways with a little toss of her head. “It doesn’t make no differ in a house whether a child like that goes or stays. She’s plenty of time on her hands.”
“That’s settled then, ma’am,” said Joshua, “and I shall be looking to see her soon.”
He made his farewell, leaving Mrs Greenways not a little annoyed that no mention had been made of Agnetta in this invitation.
“Not that she’d go,” she said to herself, “but he might a asked her as well as that little bit of a Lilac.”
It was quite a long time before she found it possible to allow Lilac to make this visit, for although she was small and useless and made no differ in the house, there were a wonderful number of things for her to do. Lilac’s work increased; other people beside Mrs Greenways discovered the advantage of her willing hands, and were glad to put some of their own business into them.