At last, however, as he
handed his cup to his wife to be refilled, he asked:

"Who made the butter this week?"

"Why, Molly, as always makes it," answered Mrs Greenways. "Wasn't it
good. I thought it looked beautiful."

"Well, all I know is," said the farmer moodily, "that Benson told me
to-day that if this lot was like the last he wouldn't take no more."

"Lor', Richard, you don't really mean it!" said Mrs Greenways, setting
down the teapot with a thump. "Whatever shall we do if Benson won't
take the butter?"

"You can't expect him to take it if it ain't good," answered the farmer.
"I don't blame him; he's got to sell it again."

"It's that there good-for-nothing Molly," said Mrs Greenways. "I'm
always after her about the dairy, yet if my head's turned a minute
she'll forget to scald her pans, and that gives the butter a sour
taste."

"All I know is, it's a hard thing, that with good pasture and good cows,
and three women indoors, the butter can't be made so as it's fit to
sell," said Mr Greenways, hitting the table with his fist.

"What's the use of Bella and Agnetta, I should like to know?"

Bella tossed her head and smiled. "Lor', Pa, how you talk!" she said
mincingly.

"They've never been taught nothing of such things," said Mrs Greenways;
"and besides, Agnetta's got her schooling yet awhile."

"Fancy me," said Bella with a giggle, "making the butter with my sleeves
tucked up like Molly. I hope I'm above that sort of thing. I didn't go
to Lenham finishing school to _learn_ that."

"I can't find out what it was you did learn there," growled her father,
"except to look down on everything useful. I'll not have Agnetta sent
there, I know. Not if I had the money, I wouldn't. It's bad enough to
have bad seasons and poor crops to do with out-of-doors, without having
a set of dressed-up lazy hussies in the house, who mar more than they
make. Where to turn for money I don't know, and there's going on for
three years' rent owing to Mr Leigh."

He got up as he spoke and left the room, followed by Peter. Bella
continued her tea placidly. Father was always cross on market days, and
it did not impress her in the least to be called lazy; she was far more
interested in the fate of her velveteen dress than in the quality of the
butter. But this was not the case with Mrs Greenways. To hear that
Benson had threatened not to take the butter was a real as well as a new
trouble, and alarmed her greatly. T