"And they're easy enough to amuse, as all the world knows.

Give 'em a good feed, and they won't give any trouble.

It's quite a job to get ready for 'em, that it is, but it's the only bit of entertaining he does all the year round, so I don't grudge it." "You must let me help you," Doris said.
And help she did, protest notwithstanding, so that Jeff, returning from his work in the middle of the day, was surprised to find her flushed and animated in the kitchen, clad in one of Granny Grimshaw's aprons, rolling out pastry with the ready deftness of a practised pastry-cook.
There was no dismay in her greeting of him, and only she knew of that sudden quickening of the heart that invariably followed his appearance.
"You didn't tell me about your Christmas party, Jeff," she said.

"Granny and I are going to give you a big spread.

I hope you will invite me to the feast." Jeff's dark face flushed a little as he made reply.