’ ‘Actually, sir, this would have been only the second duel I was to be part of. In the other instance I was a friend’s second. I don’t go aro...und making a habit of challenging others.’ ‘Very good. Very good. Now where’s that girl with my coat and hat?’ he asked in a loud voice. Millie came rushing forward. ‘I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know you were leaving so soon.’ ‘You mean you weren’t listening to our conversation. Most servants do. Raise your eyes from the floor, girl.’ She did so and the. Finally Sean asked, "How the bad erms get in me?" Sean asked."How DO the bad GERMS get in me?" Martha corrected."How do the bad erm ... Germs get in me?" Sean repeated dutifully.Martha nodded in approval and said, "Bad germs can get in you through your mouth or eyes or ears. If you cut yourself they can get in through the cut too."Sean glanced at his bottle of milk that was prepared for him. Martha said, "We cook and prepare our food so it doesn't have any of the bad germs. We wash our plates,. “Yes. Good idea. You need another woman’s help. Us men can be hopeless with a new baby. Although by the time the third one came along I had a pretty good idea,” said the farmer. “By the way my name is Eric,” he said extending his big calloused hand.“I’m Jennifer. Pleased to meet you.”They sat and chatted amicably sipping big glasses of iced tea. Eric relayed how he delivered his fourth c***d, a boy called Eddie, in one of the homestead’s bedrooms. It had been too late to go to the hospital,. I’ll call your name and the village or town and you’ll cry out, ‘Here’ or ‘Present’, and then we can commence this year’s business.’ The chieftain called out a good many names and places both nearby and quite far away until the cobbler heard his village named — but with none of the Wee Folk answering for it. ‘Rollo Roundbottom of Muddlewick Village! Where is that lazy good for nothing Brownie? Has anyone seen him? He missed last year’s meeting and the one the year before that too! I’ve a mind.