Bill turned. "No, it's Joe. I just need a pint, Lottie..." He didn't entirely meet her eye, but he turned to open the door before that could last too long.

"Oh, okay. See ye later then." Lottie suspected her husband was hiding something, but did not press further. Maybe beer would loosen his tongue and he would tell her shortly. She turned her attention back to Anne.

"As yer stayin' with us tonight, you've only got the clothes on yer back. let's see what we've got upstairs, come along."

Anne had watched the scene with some concern. She put her tea down and followed Mrs. Black upstairs. "Is yer Joe missin', Mrs. Blacke?"

"I hope not, Anne. He's away, but he didn't say where he was goin'. I 'ope he's okay." Lottie popped into the room that she shared with her husband and rummaged through her wardrobe before pulling a spare nightgown of hers. Lottie shook her head. There was no real point to hold it up to the young girl's frame.

"I'm sorry it's so old-lookin', it won't flatter ye at all. but it's clean. Will ye be wantin' to change out of yer uniform? Kate might have something that'll fit."

Anne blushed. "I doubt Kate's clothes will fit me. I can keep my uniform on. Its no problem." Without the apron, it was actually nicer than any other dress she possessed. Erm... I don't mean to gossip, but... 'e might be with Miss Pearl Carrington." She blushed a little "Laura Evans from our yard said she had seen 'em together in t' street yesterday."

The gossip network of the Cragg was alive and well. This was another piece to this puzzle that was slowly becoming a picture. Whether it was a picture Lottie would be proud to see remained to be seen.

"Really? When was this? Did she happen to say where they were headed?"

"Yesterday afternoon. I don't know where... I'm sorry," said Anne. She had been so nervous about her new job that she hadn't really listened to the other girl talking.

Lottie shrugged. "That's more than we knew before. Thank ye for tellin' me Anne. Ye do yer mother's heart-" Lottie caught her slip of the tongue "a mother's heart proud with yer honesty. Hannah raised ye proper."

Anne blushed. "Thank ye, Mrs. Blacke. I hope 'E'll come home soon and ye don't have ta worry anymore." It seemed very wicked of Joe to worry his parents by not coming home.

And now she felt a little guilty.

Lottie swallowed heavily at Anne's words and had to sit on the bed for a moment. Tears began to form and the older woman started crying. She felt silly crying in front of a stranger, but the tension just had to break. Lottie was only human too.