'What the h—- is all this humming?' he asked.
'It's bees. I've fetched 'em in to see good times a bit afore they die.'
'What a child's trick!' he said, fending off an inquiring bee. 'Why, they'll stay here all winter! We shall get stung.' Then he saw the hospital full of bees by the fire.
'More?' he said. 'Good Lord!' He threw the box into the fire.
Hazel was silent with horror. At last she gasped:
'I was mothering 'em!'
'You're very keen on mothering! Wouldn't you like a kid to mother?'
'No. I'd liefer mother the bees and foxes as none takes thought on. I dunna like babies much—all bald and wrinkly. Martha said as having 'em made folk pray to die, but as it was worth anything to get one. But I dunna think so. I think they'm ugly. I seed one in a pram outside that cottage in the Hollow' (Reddin jumped), 'and it was uglier than a pig. I think you're a cruel beast, Jack Reddin, to burn my bees, and they so comforble, knowing I was taking care on 'em.'
She would not speak to him for the rest of the day. He was so bored in the evening that he went out and demanded a boxful of bees from Vessons.
'The missus wants 'em,' he said sheepishly.