Jamie could just manage the milk, but it was out of the question for him to buy the sick room delicacies she should have had every day of her life.

The bairn was born but a week after the strike began; Jamie and Annie had been married little more than a year.

It was hard enough for Annie to bring the wean into the world; it seemed that keeping him and herself there was going to be too much for her, with things going as they were.
"She was nae strong enough, Jamie, man," the doctor told him.

"Yell ha' an invalid wife on your hands for months.

Gie her gude food, and plenty on't, when she can eat again let her ha' plenty rest.