"Lor', Master Bert," she exclaimed, "you're still at your tricks."
In a flutter of delight she smacked him squarely on the mouth, and then, blushing and trembling, begged his pardon.
"I can't think you're a grown-up man," she explained. She surveyed him at arm's length.
"You're not overly big," she said, "an' that's a fact. But you're surprising thick through the chest and wide i' the shoulders. An' who'd ever have looked for Master Bert, all so suddent, i' Maidmill-on-Dee."
By this time she was in a fair way to burst into tears, so fast were the old memories crowding upon her. Hemming feared tears more than the devil, and, patting her violently on the back, forced her into a chair.
"There, Susan, there. Now keep cool and fire low, and tell me what you are going to have for lunch?" he urged.
"Thomson," she called, "there is a gentleman here as wants to see you."
"Bes there, now?" said Thomson, and rubbed his hands on his smock.
"Never mind your hands," she called.
Thomson scraped his heavy way into the kitchen, and blinked at the visitor.