Miss Young put Letizia beside her and the old woman encircled the child with her left arm. The other hung motionless beside her.
“I’m not going to maul you about. I expect your aunts have slobbered over you enough downstairs. Just give me one kiss, if you want to. But if you don’t want to, now that you’re so close to my skinny old face, why, say so, and I shan’t mind.”
But Letizia put both arms round her great-grandmother’s neck and kissed her fervidly.
“And now sit down and tell me how you like Lebanon House,” she commanded.
“Is this Lebbon House?”
The old woman nodded.
“I like it here, but I don’t like it where those aunts are. Have you seen those aunts, grannie?”
“I made them.”
“Why did you make them, grannie? I don’t fink they was very nicely made, do you? I don’t fink their dresses was sewed on very nicely, do you?”
“You’re an observant young woman, that’s what you are.”