Chapter 4

She shook her head over the absent Robert so that the strings of her sunbonnet swung out on either side of her round, red, cheerful face. ‘If I didna know as John Rideout got you long afore I took pity on poor Makepeace (and a man of iron John Rideout was, and it’s strange as I should come to a man of straw), I’d be nigh thinking you was Makepeace’s, time and agen. Dreamy—dreamy!’ She rolled and slapped and minced as if her son and her second husband were on the rolling board and she was putting them into shape. Bu…