Miles. [Also offering his arm.] I shall also give myself the pleasure of supporting Miss.

Joan. [Taking an arm of each.] O thank you, kindly gentlemen.  Now we shall journey very comfortably, I am sure.

[They all set out walking in the direction of the farm.

Act II.—­Scene 1.

The kitchen of Ox Lease Farm.  There are three doors.  One opens to the staircase, one to the garden and a third into the back kitchen.  At a table in the middle of the room Emily stands ironing some net window curtains.  Jessie and Robin lean against the table watching her.  By the open doorway, looking out on the garden, stands Thomas, a mug of cider in one hand and a large slice of bread in the other.  As he talks, he takes alternate drinks and bites.

Emily. [Speaking in a shrill, angry voice.] Now Thomas, suppose you was to take that there bread a step further away and eat it in the garden, if eat it you must, instead of crumbling it all over my clean floor.

Thomas.  Don’t you be so testy, Emily.  The dogs’ll lick the crumbs up as clean as you like presently.

Emily.  Dogs?  I’d like to see the dog as’ll shew its nose in here to-day when I’ve got it all cleaned up against the coming of fine young madam.

Thomas. [Finishing his bread and looking wistfully at his empty hand.] The little maid’ll take a brush and sweep up her daddy’s crumbs, now, won’t her?

Emily.  I’ll give it to any one who goes meddling in my brush cupboard now that I’ve just put all in order against the prying and nozzling of the good-for-nothing baggage what’s coming along with your sister.

Robin.  What’s baggage, Mother?

Emily. [Sharply.] Never you mind.  Get and take your elbow off my ironing sheet.

Jessie. [Looking at her father.] I count as you’d like a piece more bread, Dad?

Thomas.  Well, I don’t say but ’twouldn’t come amiss.  ’Tis hungry work in th’ hayfield.  And us be to go without our dinners this day, isn’t that so, Emily?

Emily. [Slamming down her iron on the stand.] If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you twenty times, ’twas but the one pair of hands as I was gived at birth.  Now, what have you got to say against that, Thomas?

Thomas. [Sheepishly.] I’m sure I don’t know.

Emily.  And if so be as I’m to clean and wash and cook, and run, and wait, and scour, and mend, for them lazy London minxes, other folk must go without hot cooking at mid-day.

Thomas. [Faintly.] ’Twasn’t nothing cooked, like.  ’Twas a bit of bread as I did ask for.

Jessie. [Getting up.] I’ll get it for you, Dad.  I know where the loaf bides and the knife too.  I’ll cut you, O such a large piece.

Emily. [Seizing her roughly by the hand.] You’ll do nothing of the sort.  You’ll take this here cold iron into Maggie and you’ll bring back one that is hot.  How am I to get these curtains finished and hung and all, by the time the dressed up parrots come sailing in, I’d like to know.