Rose backed away from Abi. She didn't want that terrible tramp and future-husband-stealer anywhere near her. She looked at Andrew when he spoke. A small bit of hope clung to his words and wanted to believe him. But she had been dropped before and fear and mistrust did not allow her to leave it be. She wiped her tears quickly. "What's she doin' here in the first place?"

"Didn't I-" Abilene drew her hands back and hugged herself, shaking. "I could have sworn I- I want to be a baker, Rose, I- I had the good fortune-" She winced. Bad choice of words at the moment. "-er, I met And- Mr. Willaby, and he needed an apprentice and I needed training and that's it, Rose." She felt so bad, she ended up adding, blurting it out, "I'll quit, right now, if that's what it takes to make you believe me." She glanced back at Andrew, a lump in her throat.

"I needed help around here and she needed employment. I see now I should have talked to ye first and I am sorry." He was trying to be calm about this but was panicking inwardly. He couldn't even look at Abi right now without feeling guilty for Rose's tears.

"You-," she interrupted Andrew, but his apology stopped her. Rose took a deep breath. She did not know what to believe, but she did know that even if it was just like Andrew had said, Abi was a threat. She turned to the girl. "Could ye give us some privacy please?" She in a tone that was more a demand than a request.

Immediately, Abilene nodded at Rose's request and stepped out the back door of the shop into an alleyway. Not even caring it was still damp on the ground from the early morning dew, as soon as the door shut, she sank down and leaned against the outer wall of the bakery. She drew her legs up, knees against her chest, skirt slipping up to show her ankles, but she didn't much care. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she stared at nothing in particular as she waited for whatever was to come next. Should she just go home? Should she stay? Should she even have come back to Whitby in the first place? She leaned her head against her knees and closed her eyes.

Andrew sighed as the Abi walked out through the back door, but he did not dare look in that general direction, he kept his eyes on his fiance (hopefully not former). He wrung his fingers nervously, waiting for her to be the one to speak because at the moment, words were failing him. He hadn't meant any harm when he had hired Abi. He had just wanted to help and now was in trouble with her...

Rose swallowed something hard in her throat. She looked down and frowned. "I..." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry... when I saw yer hands on hers... Well... its not like that's really proper... I thought...." She grimaced. She looked up at him uncertainly. "I'm not blind. She's a very pretty lass. And I'm not vain enough to believe I could ever compete with 'er. But I've already quit me job, Andrew, and it'd make me a laughing stock before me community if..." The lump in her throat was back and she felt fresh tears sting her eyes.

"I would be lying if I said she ain't pretty, but she ain't ye, Rose," he said and moved closer to her, capturing her hands if she let him and looking into her eyes. "I was just tryin' ta help someone I knew from London. I should have talked to ye first. I am truly sorry."

She looked up to him as he spoke and one tear did run down her cheek now. She moved closer and hugged him tight, her cheek resting on his chest. Was it true? Would he really be faithful and not drop her? That hope, and the fear of having it crushed almost opened a new floodgate. She did not want to be broken like that again. "Don't hurt me, please..." she whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here. What do ye want me to do? I'll do anything to make it right." Oh, please stop crying, he thought in a panic. He lifted a hand to her face and gave her a soft kiss. "Don't give up on me now." He knew in his heart he had to hurt someone's feelings and it didn't sit well with him. But he was engaged to be married, and she came first.