Elizabeth nodded, her mouth occupied with dealing with the pie as best she could.

“The rag and bone man says he’s coming back next week.” Violet picked up her knife and fork and tackled the unappetizing food on her plate. “I was wondering what else we had to give him. I feel sorry for him, I do. He seems so down and out, and that patch over his eye makes him look even worse. Lost his eye in the war, he did, poor devil. Must be horrible to only see out of one eye.”

“He looks like a pirate,” Polly said, pushing her plate away from her. “Acts like one, too, carting off everybody’s stuff. What does he do with all that rubbish, I’d like to know?”

“Sells it, of course.” Violet’s expression changed as she swallowed some of her pie. She reached for the gravy boat and poured a generous amount over the offending mess on her plate. “That’s what rag and bone men do. They collect stuff that nobody wants and they sell it to someone who does want it. You’d be surprised what some people will pay for stuff other people throw out. Especially from the Manor House.”

“Well,” Elizabeth murmured, giving up her valiant attempt to enjoy the meal, “perhaps we should think of selling it ourselves instead of giving it away. The roof needs repairs again, and if we don’t do something about those noisy water pipes soon, nobody in the east wing is going to get any sleep.”

Violet sniffed. “Since the only people who sleep in the east wing are the American officers, and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of any of them for two weeks, I’d say that’s the least of our worries right now.”

“They’ll be coming back any day now,” Elizabeth said quietly. “All of them.”

Something in her tone must have warned Violet, as she looked up, saying quickly, “Well, of course, I know that. I just meant for now, that’s all.”

The back door flew open just then, banging against the stove, as it was apt to do when opened too wide. Sadie struggled in, bearing a large basket full of clean, dry laundry. “You’ll never guess what,” she said breathlessly, as she dumped the basket in the middle of the floor. “All the bloomin’ knickers are gone!”