She gave Peggy a very warm welcome, for, unlike Martin, she was one of those people who love children.
“Dearie me, Miss Peggy! This is fine. Come away and see which of us will gather quickest,” she said. “Here’s a wee basket for you, and a wee one for me; and you take the one side of the bush, and I’ll have the other, and see who’ll be first!”
She laid down her large basket between them, and got out the two tiny baskets instead. It is much nicer to gather fruit in small baskets that are soon filled, for one seems to be getting on so much quicker. Peggy worked at a great pace, and actually got her basket full before Janet, to her great delight. Then it was poured into the large basket, and she began again. Thus the work went on for an hour at least. Peggy was just beginning to think she was getting a tiny bit tired, when Janet laid down her basket suddenly.
“Come in-bye, Miss Peggy,” she said. “I hear the baker’s man at the back door; maybe he’ll have something for you.”
Peggy followed her to the kitchen, where the baker’s man had just laid down some loaves on the table. They were still warm, and the crust had the nicest smell you can imagine.
“I’m thinking you’d like a piece,” said Janet, taking up one of the new loaves, and looking at Peggy. “It wasn’t much o’ a dinner Martin took upstairs for ye.”
“That was because I was naughty,” Peggy admitted with a blush.
“Ye’re no naughty now!” said Janet. She took a knife, and cut a slice of the nice new bread. Then from the cupboard she took out a round pat of beautiful fresh butter, stamped with a swan, and spread it thickly on the bread. Last of all, she sprinkled a lot of sparkling, brown Jamaica sugar from the sugar-jar over it, and handed the bread to Peggy.