Nat almost choked at that.  "I don't think Jimmy and I have gotten to know each other well enough yet.  He's still not very happy that I am here, I think."  She replied with another bite.  "He's in a bit of trouble right now for leaving me back at the school instead of helping me find my way back here to the fields."  She didn't mention the lie, yet.

Jenny huffed again and shook her head. "Stupid boy. He must see you as a threat to his own position, I suppose. But he had no right to be rude to ye or not help ye as he was told."

She shrugged.  "I don't mind the rudeness or causing me to lose my lunch."  She rubbed her lips at that slipping out.  She just continued.  It was done.  "But him causing Mr. Appleton to be mad at me, that is another.  I did speak up on that one."  She said firmly.

Upon hearing that, Jenny pulled her hands out of the water and turned to face Nat. "Jimmy took yer lunch!?" she said in an angry tone. "That wicked boy. That goes to far. Our mam will hear of that!"

She shrugged.  "It was either him or one of the boys he was hanging out with earlier.  I can't say for sure, thus I did not speak of who did it to Mr. Appleton.  They were mates, that much I know."  They had been giving her a time about her clothing, but that was of no importance to her.

Jenny continued washing dishes with more force. "Stupid boy," she repeated. "If he's mean to you again, you come and tell me. He knows better than to be rude and deceitful."

Nat gave her a look.  Finishing the bite she had just taken, she asked, "Even though he's your brother?"

"'Mr. Appleton told us to 'elp ye and show ye around and see to it yer comfortable. And 'e's doin' t' very opposite. Nivver worry you bein' a threat to 'is position. 'E's bein' one 'imself!" she said, her accent getting thicker as she became increasingly agitated. "And our mam raised us well. Not as liars and thiefs."

Nat gave a surprised look.  She made friends along the way she had lived, and even some were loyal to each other.  However, family was usually stronger than friends.  At the comment about not being a thief, she looked down at her food.  "When Mr. Appleton found me in Whitby, I was trying to steal from him so I could get something to eat.  I have been a thief but don't want to be one on the regular.  He's given me a chance to work honestly and earn my way.  I figure you will hear about it, so I figure I should tell you that.  I have other things.....but I'm not ready to share them yet.  But I have tried to find a way to work my way for a few years now and finally have a chance at it.  I don't want to mess it up."  She looked at Jenny.  "I don't mean for trouble for Jimmy, true I don't."

Jenny frowned while she listened but then her expression softened. "It was good of 'im to take ye on, rather than hand ye over to t' police. And if he's decided yer past misdeeds is none of 'is business no more, it's none o' mine either." She entered the kitchen and leaned against the doorpost. "Mr. Appleton's been good to me family. Me father an two oldest brothers died when t' mine they worked in collapsed. Our Peter was only my age. Fresh out o' school. The rest of us was still in school, so we lost all our breadwinners. Me mam started takin' in laundry, but it wasn't enough. But rather than throwin' us off t' land, Mr. Appleton offered a job to me brother and sister, and later Jimmy and me. 'E helped me brother get an apprenticeship. Paid for it. And well... we were quietly hopin' he'll do t' same for Jimmy. I think Jimmy's afraid ye'll somehow take that chance from 'im... But I think... knowing why 'e hired ye, I don't think 'e meant to replace Jimmy or owt..."