Three cups and saucers, a little jag of milk, a teapot, and basin of sugar were placed in the center, and a pile of slices of bread and butter beside them, while from a paper bag she produced a cake which she had bought at the village shop on her way up.
Ned watched her preparations listlessly.
"You are very good, Polly," he said, "and I shall be very glad of the cup of tea, but I cannot eat anything." "Never mind," she said cheerfully.

"Bill and I can do the eating, and perhaps after you have had a cup of tea you will be able to, for Bill tells me you have had nothing to eat since breakfast." Ned felt cheered by the warm blaze of the fire and by the cheerful sound of the kettle, and after taking a cup of tea found that his appetite was coming, and was soon able to eat his share.

Mary Powlett kept up a cheerful talk while the meal was going on, and no allusion was made to the circumstances which had brought Ned there.

After it was done she sat and chatted for an hour.

Then she said: "I must be off now, and I think, Bill, you'd best be going soon too, and let Maister Ned have a good night of it.