‘That was very wrong of you.’
‘Perhaps it was. But had not the master and missus both wronged me? Arter that I got married, but me and my husband were always quarrelling about the boy, and that made me take to drink, and then, when I lost my husband, I drank worse and worse.’
‘And then you went on the tramp, and left the boy at Sloville, and I took him.’
‘Yes.’
‘He is a good boy.’
‘He allus was.’
‘But why did you not see him righted?’
‘I did one day. I had a letter sent to Sir Watkin, and he sent me word it was all a lie, that his boy was dead. Then his lady died, and he went abroad, and—’
‘And you never saw him again?’
‘Only twice. When I saw him outside your theater and tried to speak to him. But he pushed me into the street, and then I met with my accident. He’s a hard un and a bad un.’