[Susan licks her fingers clean - looking rather furtive about it, like Aunt Cord might jump out at any minute to scold her for her greed - before putting her hand out to take the ties. Four! She'd have been happy with one, or - honestly - with a piece of string or twine to serve instead, anything to hold her hair back while she doesn't have a comb or mirror, but four ties is a real bounty.]

Thankee, sai. [It's embarrassing to realise how close she feels to tears. Stupid. There's naught here to cry over - and still, there's that lump in her throat.]

[She smiles, tries to play the throatiness in her voice off as laughter.] Mayhap now I can look a little less like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards? Maria'd be horrified, to see me now.