Everyone had panicked when Simon had said some rich bloke would come for dinner. But telling father that he could hardly have resisted the man’s invitation for dinner, had kept Simon out of trouble when he returned late that evening. And had he explained that he had invited the man not to be rude.
 
The two-room cottage had been cleaned thoroughly, even though they actually didn’t have time for it. The girls had prepared a meal with fresher vegetables, and richer foods than they usually ate, even though they didn’t actually have money for it. They all wore their Sunday clothes. They had borrowed a chair from the neighbors. And still it would probably be a poor sight.
 
The building and yard still looked miserable, though there were children on bare feet playing outside who didn’t seem to mind, and an elderly woman was sitting in a doorway, knitting, and seemed quite content.
 
There was the smell of fish everywhere.