“Oh, yes! I’m known as Mrs Aspinall. They all call me Mrs Aspinall.”
“I understand. He cleared, didn’t he? Run away?”
“Well, yes—no—-he—-”
“I understand. He’s s’posed to be dead?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s red-hot! So’s my old man, and I hope he don’t resurrect again.”
“You see, I married my second for the sake of my children.”
“That’s a great mistake,” reflected Bill. “My mother married my step-father for the sake of me, and she’s never been done telling me about it.”
“Indeed! Did your mother get married again?”
“Yes. And he left me with a batch of step-sisters and step-brothers to look after, as well as mother; as if things wasn’t bad enough before. We didn’t want no help to be pinched, and poor, and half-starved. I don’t see where my sake comes in at all.”