Meanwhile Joanna sat very erect in her kitchen chair, interviewing the young chap from Botolph's Bridge.
"You've only got a year's character from Mr. Gain?"
"Yes, missus ..." a long pause during which some mental process took place clumsily behind this low, sunburnt forehead ... "but I've got these."
He handed Joanna one or two dirty scraps of paper on which were written "characters" from earlier employers.
Joanna read them. None was for longer than two years, but they all spoke well of the young man before her.
"Then you've never been on the Marsh before you came to Botolph's Bridge?"
"Sheep on the Marsh is very different from sheep inland."
"I know, missus."
"But you think you're up to the job."