But the baker, ashamed of himself, and thinking he was coming to laugh at him, popped out of the back door, and when Curdie entered, the baker's wife came from the bakehouse to serve him.

Curdie requested to know the price of a certain good-sized loaf.
Now the baker's wife had been watching what had passed since first her husband ran out of the shop, and she liked the look of Curdie.

Also she was more honest than her husband.

Casting a glance to the back door, she replied: 'That is not the best bread.

I will sell you a loaf of what we bake for ourselves.' And when she had spoken she laid a finger on her lips.
'Take care of yourself in this place, MY son,' she added.