She managed a watery smile and a hiccup. The crying had ceased though, which was a good thing. Her mouth was a soft curve. "Nevertheless, I will have it laundered and returned to you in the condition it was in when you handed it to me." She gave a nod. Pearl tucked the hanky away after a moment.

Then when he said something about dirtying her gloves, she doffed them and reached out. Assuming he let her, she grasped his hand with a soft, uncalloused one. "I don't mind a little dirt and grime. It is a pleasure to meet you...?" She paused for good measure, an indication she was waiting for his name patiently. She wasn't the conventional type, having moved out of her family's home into her own.

She peered at him for a moment, noticing how handsome the young man was. She hadn't noticed a man's looks since Pony, and Pony wasn't as handsome as this man. The girl tried not to stare, but there it was for a moment.

She managed a watery smile and a hiccup. The crying had ceased though, which was a good thing. Her mouth was a soft curve. "Nevertheless, I will have it laundered and returned to you in the condition it was in when you handed it to me." She gave a nod. Pearl tucked the hanky away after a moment.

Then when he said something about dirtying her gloves, she doffed them and reached out. Assuming he let her, she grasped his hand with a soft, uncalloused one. "I don't mind a little dirt and grime. It is a pleasure to meet you...?" She paused for good measure, an indication she was waiting for his name patiently. She wasn't the conventional type, having moved out of her family's home into her own.

She peered at him for a moment, noticing how handsome the young man was. She hadn't noticed a man's looks since Pony, and Pony wasn't as handsome as this man. The girl tried not to stare, but there it was for a moment.

He was a bit stunned that she would take his hand like that, but he didn't object.  He looked down at her hand in his and then back to her.  She was a very attractive young lady, holding his hand, a man could do a lot worse.  Then he regained his senses.

"Joseph, Miss.  Joesph Blacke."

"Mister Blacke," she murmured and gave a dazzling smile. "Thank you for coming to my rescue this morning. I promise you there will be no more tears here at the train station." She gave a soft, throaty laugh. She lowered her lashes for a moment and then realized she had held on a little longer than proper. Her hand dropped. She didn't wipe it on her skirt, nor act appalled that she got dust on her hand.

Joe returned her smile softly. Here was this very pretty, kind, proper lady was treating him with respect. She had held his hand, she had laughed. He was reminded what Rose Ward had said about courtin'. Was this.. don't be daft. The smile disappeared, not because he wanted it to, but because he was at work and couldn't be acting the fool.

"That is good to hear, Miss, uh, Carrington." Joe began, recalling her surname and scrambling to regain his demeanor, "I hope you'll travel with the railway again.." he added for entirely selfish reasons.

Robert had heard of Pearl's little trip with great displeasure. A young lady traveling alone (the servant didn't count), how scandalous! As if his sister hadn't done enough to subject the family to scorn and derision. He was determined to pick her up from the station at least, so no one would have to see her get into a cab alone.

Alas, some moron had had an accident and held up all the traffic into town, and now he was late. He got out of the cab, well dressed in a low top hat with a black walking cane in hand, not because he was old, but because he was a gentleman, and people did well to remember. He marched into the station, looking around for his sister, and being even angrier with her at the prospect of finding her gone, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

There, on the platform in the distance was his sister, holding the hand of some working class cad. How dare he! The hands were dropped, but by that time, Robert was seething with red-hot anger. "HEY YOU!" He shouted, striding in the direction of the two young people and pointing at the ill-bred young man with his cane. "How dare you touch my sister, you tramp!?"

Robert had heard of Pearl's little trip with great displeasure. A young lady traveling alone (the servant didn't count), how scandalous! As if his sister hadn't done enough to subject the family to scorn and derision. He was determined to pick her up from the station at least, so no one would have to see her get into a cab alone.

Alas, some moron had had an accident and held up all the traffic into town, and now he was late. He got out of the cab, well dressed in a low top hat with a black walking cane in hand, not because he was old, but because he was a gentleman, and people did well to remember. He marched into the station, looking around for his sister, and being even angrier with her at the prospect of finding her gone, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

There, on the platform in the distance was his sister, holding the hand of some working class cad. How dare he! The hands were dropped, but by that time, Robert was seething with red-hot anger. "HEY YOU!" He shouted, striding in the direction of the two young people and pointing at the ill-bred young man with his cane. "How dare you touch my sister, you tramp!?"

For Joe, reality and propriety collided in a violent train crash as he realised what was happening.  He had no wish to appear weak or foolish in front of the lady, but he was at work and couldn't tell the new arrival to stuff it.  

"I'm no tramp, sir. I am a railway employee." Joe replied in the most official tone he could muster.  "Your sister was a passenger in distress." he added careful to hide his tendency to drop 'h's in his speech.

She stiffened at the affront. Then her face fell and tears threatened to spill once again. She stood up abruptly, "Why are YOU here, Robert? And don't talk to him like that, he merely helped me in a moment of distress, which is more than I can say for you, brother!" She grabbed her carpetbag angrily. Tilly was rounding the corner with the cab at that time. "I am so very sorry for my brother's lack of manners, Mister Blacke," she said in a softer, more amiable tone. She lifted her chin in defiance to her damnable brother.

Robert decided to ignore his sister for now. He would deal with her later. She conveniently informed him of the cad's name, though. He scoffed at the porter and pushed the top of his cane into the young man's chest, a little to the right, just under the ribs. "Helping doesn't require touching her, Mister Blacke... is it? How would you like to have a Carrington to file a complaint against you?"

Well dressed people throwing their weight around was nothing new to Joe. He recognised that his recent exchange with Miss Carrington might raise an eyebrow, but it had been explained. What crossed a line was being poked by a stick. It was taking every restraint he had to not snatch up that stick and shove it somewhere.

"Don't touch me. I think you need to leave, sir."

"What are you doing, Robert? You are causing a scene!" The words came out in through clenched teeth. She reached out with determination, her hand clasping firmly around the walking stick. She gave it a surprisingly hard shove for a young miss who looked like a mere, slip of a girl. She lifted her chin another notch higher and glared at him. It was not just any glare, but THE glare. The glare only a woman grown could master. She took several steps backwards and stood beside the porter, silently willing him to test her on this day. It was a show of newfound friendship. She then said quietly, the glare melting away into a genuinely weary expression.

"I want to go home, Tilly... I am ready." She started to walk passed her older brother, not looking at him now.