Ben nodded slowly. "Thank you, Elijah. I appreciate."

Maggie sat close by. "You yourself said Tobias is a good man, father." She comforted him. "That he looked after the girls with care and respect and went out of his way. And that he goes to church and don't drink, and was concerned that Alice be sure about it. She may not be happy about it, and it may be hard for her, but it doesn't sound like he'd do her harm." But she too looked grave even as she spoke those words.