When Jenny passed her with the dinner for the missus, she didn't say anything in particular, just cast her eyes downward. When Mister Appleton filled her plate and explained the situation with the baby, she looked up and gave a nod. "Thank you, Mister Appleton," she said in her refined voice. Her mouth quirked just a little bit and she gave him the time he needed to fill her plate with food. Her stomach growled all of a sudden at the sight of the food, for breastfeeding made one hungry.

Jenny passed them again and disappeared into the kitchen to have her own meal. Tobias handed Iris a full plate and then filled his own. Then he said a short prayer and found... that now that all practicalities had been discussed, he didn't really know what to say to keep a conversation going. Small talk had never been his strongest point.

He took a few bites to give himself an excuse for a minute or so. Most dinners with his wife were spent in near silence, and he found that in many ways he preferred it that way. But it seemed rude to not have some kind of conversation with a guest and the awareness of his own awkwardness made him more awkward. "Erm... what do you think of the moors?"

Awkward.

"I haven't... uh... considered them before," she said, balancing the babe on her shoulder with one arm and eating with her free hand. She made sure to be careful eating whilst holding a little one, obviously not going to ask for help just to be able to eat. Besides, she liked holding Emma very much. It might have been awkward for him, but the conversation was actually welcome to her. "I suppose they would be a dangerous place to wander, yes?"

"Oh yes, they are for a young woman alone." Tobias answered, glad to find something to talk about. "There's all sort of strange folk traveling about. And its easy to get lost and trapped in bad weather. Me wife and her sister got lost and almost froze to death there. So best not go wandering about alone. They can be very pleasant too though."

Nate had spent the day depending on others and he was tired of it. The generosity of the North Eastern Railway had gotten him as far as Castleford, and the pity of passing wagon had gotten him to the end of the lane, but now he had to throw himself on the mercy of his brother. Tired, muddy, and hungry Nate's mood did not improve as the door to his childhood home loomed.

Diffuse golden light suggested people were home.

Nate knocked loudly

The babe seemed to stir and whimper at the sound of the knock. She began to rock the little girl to make sure she stayed calm and glanced toward the door with a worried gaze. What was happening?

Tobias looked up rather startled by the sudden tapping. Who would call at this hour? Jenny came from the kitchen but Tobias was already up and told her he'd answer the door, upon which the girl returned to her own meal.

He opened the door and if he hadn't seemed surprised and troubled before, he certainly did now. "Nathan."

"Tobias."

Nathan wished he had a picture of his brother in that moment as a cherished keepsake.

"May I come in?" the older Appleton asked.

Oh this was bad. Oh this was really bad. Nate couldn't suspect how bad the timing was, with a newborn, his wife crazy and not presentable upstairs, a wetnurse who had just arrived herself, and the only remaining bedroom used as a storage room. Nate couldn't suspect any of this, but still Tobias was tempted to think it was spite. He hadn't even informed his brother that his wife was pregnant. He had only written back in January to say that he had gotten married. And Nate could do the math and would probably think even less of him.

All of this flashed through Tobias mind as he said: "Of course," stepped aside, and closed the door behind his brother. "You could have let me know you were coming. I'd have a room prepared..."

"Sorry Toby, couldn't be helped." Nate used his nickname for his younger sibling from childhood, partially out of habit, but also spite. "My luggage and most of my money was stolen when I got off the train today in Whitby. I've returned to talk to the magistrate on a legal matter, then I'm off back to Leeds. It's only for a day or so."

Nate stepped out of the hall and into the dining room. It was a strange recollection to know the history of every item in the room from the small landscape painting that had belonged to their mother, or the chair where their father use to sit to try and play the fiddle after a hard days labour. Yet Nate was not familiar with everything in the room.

"You must be the new Mrs Appleton." Nate addressed the unfamiliar lady at the table with his utmost charm. With her youthful looks and vibrant red hair, Nate was most confused how his brother had landed her for a catch. "My heartiest congratulations! I am Toby's - Tobias' brother, Nate."