Kitty shook his hand and nodded. "He is just the best. So kind and generous, his heart's bigger than any other man I ever did meet. I hope it does them all well and they end up the better for it, though I wish the kids said 'thanks' now and again. It'd make him even happier though he don't do it for that."

Ben nodded. "Aye ye'r right. I'll make sure Bram shows a bit of gratitude. He's given Mr. Meijer a hard time in the beginning, but I believe he's better behaved now."

Kitty smiled and waved her hand, "Don't worry too much, it isn't the same if it feels forced. I believe ya, kids sometimes are just like that and they gotta grow out right?" Unless they were like her , of course. "I was actually about to go meet him after school when I wandered out here and decided ta come say hi."

"Aye as long as he doesn't give him a hard time." Ben said. He nodded as she explained why she was here. "You and yer...Mr. Meijer should come for dinner sometime."

Kitty nodded but chuckled slightly. "If you insist, though ya seem a bit .. at odds that we're not married."

"It's... not my business, Miss..." Ben said in a clearly uncomfortable voice.

Kitty smiled, "It ain't, but it's still makin ya itch, isn't it? Just don't think about it."

That made Ben even more uncomfortable. He cast his eyes down. "I didn't mean to offend ye, Miss."

Kitty held up her hand, "Don't worry, i'm not. I don't think you'd have the words ta offend me. I've been called almost everything under the sun. But I'm the one who's living the happy life, so who's laughing in the end?"

Anne was looking on with a mixture of fear and awe.

"I'm sorry people have been rude to ye, Miss." Ben said.