Nettie watched him and his works gave her comfort but she didn't express relief. She frowned and folded her arms. "Stop that! It isn't my job. I worry because I care! I worry because I want to check on you and know you're alright. I know you can care for yourself. You're a grown up, but.. I want to worry. I want to check up on you and see you're alright. It is just me being selfish. So.. don't act like I'm around you as some sort of punishment or something." She sighed and looked at him. "Is this cause of how grandpa and dad have always treated you? They never deserved to be a part of a family with you in it anyway. You're too good for them. "

That was why she hadn't spoken face to face with her parents in months and barely wrote to let them know she was still alive.

"I swear.. it's like you think I'll think badly of you and that will never happen. I mean.. " she scratched her head in thought. "I guess if I found out you liked kicking puppies or drowning babies we'd have to sit and have a talk about it." She offered him a weak smile at her dark joke.

She rose a brow at his curiosity over the boy and looked away casually shrugging. It was as if it were only his imagination she'd even mentioned it, but she did finally speak. "He was just a boy I met in town when I was getting supplies and trying to figure out my way. He was very nice and very handsome. His name was Maxim. We just met. It isn't like we agreed to start dating." Her eyes squinted looking rather gleeful that such a thing worried him. "You raised me better than that. I wouldn't get serious without you meeting him first, right?"

He tried not to wince again at the comment about his father and brother. Nettie was only trying to reassure him, he knew, but it rubbed him the wrong way every time she mentioned it.

Some things weren’t meant to be said out loud.

His brows did raise at her little joke, and he gave a quiet laugh, but it was delayed like he’d been trying to determine whether it was in jest or not.

Kicking puppies and drowning babies would have to be talked about. That made sense. He had no desire to do either. What about choking the life out of her grandfather with his own bare hands and setting it up as a suicide after?

Malachi let his hands slip back into his pockets as they walked and tried not to look too interested when she finally continued. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her judgement, or that he didn’t want her to find love… but it had to be right. The man she eventually married – if that was what she wanted – had to be perfect, just like her.

He glanced over, and was glad to see that her expression had at least lightened some.

“It isn’t a… requirement,” he said carefully, but the thought did make him smile.

“You are free to date whoever you wish, Nettie, with or without my knowledge. I’m happy to hear that you’ve met someone, even if it isn’t serious with him yet. I just want you to have the best.”

Nettie looked apologetic at the wince. He'd been completely mistreated and she wished he was able to talk about it, but perhaps one day he could. Just probably not her.

She'd never known her uncle could be violent as he'd always been so calm and serene around her. If she'd realized he was behind her grandfather's death, it would be a shock. And understandable. And forgivable.

The blond woman smiled softly and tucked some hair behind her ear as she walked, thinking fondly of the man. "I know it isn't required, but you're an important part of my life and I trust your opinion. It would be hard to like someone if you two didn't like each other."

She laughed lightly. "And who cares if he is perfect? I can't be greedy. I already have a perfect man in my life as my uncle. I shouldn't expect another. But he seems pretty wonderful so far. But again, we're not like.. anything serious. So don't worry about it too much."

What had Nettie thought of Nisa’s brother?

It wasn’t a question he could ask, not now; not without shoveling suspicion over their involvement. But he wondered, as she stated her disinterest in anyone that he didn’t like, if she would find him as charming as he did. If, despite the cool distance he kept between himself and all others, she had sensed that same warmth beneath.

He supposed not.

It was better that she didn’t.

(He hadn’t forgotten how close they seemed to be in age, either. Hadn’t dismissed the possibility of his the detective finding someone like Nettie instead, who would give him far less trouble all around.)

“Nettie,” Malachi nudged at her arm again. “If there is anything you should be greedy with, it is that.”

Why should she have to settle? She was a beautiful young woman, as kind as she was talented. Someone like her could have anyone she wanted, so why not wish for the best?

“I’ll try not to worry. And I’m sure that I will get along just fine with whoever you like.”

He wasn’t actually that sure, but it sounded like the right thing to say. Malachi didn’t feel that it was his place to make or break any of her potential relationships in the first place, regardless of whether he liked the fellow or not. His pace picked up now that his mood was a bit less dour.

Lightly, he inquired, “how do you like the other ladies in your club?”

Nettie smiled and shook her head. "You worry too much. It isn't like I'll dismiss someone because they are great. But I don't worry about it. As long as they are kind and I enjoy their company, that is all I care about. That's what matters most, right ?"

She knew most women her age did try to start luring in men if they hadn't already. Nettie wasn't in a rush, she didn't want to settle for the first decent guy who showed her interest, if she had it would have been that banker her father tried to get her to meet that she just couldn't like as hard as she tried. Sure he had money and he seemed alright, but he always looked like he was scheming, maybe it was because he was perpetually twirling a handlebar mustache?

"If you don't, don't try to hide it. I need your honest opinion. Trust me to decide if I like him enough to continue and hope you warm up to him." She doubted she would if he didn't like him, but it she wouldn't guarantee anything for a hypothetical situation.

She seemed to enjoy the topic change and shrugged as she walked along side him. "They were over all very nice and proper ladies. Most talked about some rumors in the area, trying to talk about news that wasn't improper conversations. Helen was very nice in helping me meet some of the others I guess she'd met in town. "

The girl looked slightly bothered, "there was a handful of girls who seemed to like to sit together and whisper some things about other ladies there. I guess things they've heard. They were those types who acted nice to others but whispered behind their backs and even when they talked to them their tone was... anyway. I didn't care much for them but I'm new so I didn't feel it was my place to say something just yet. I just tried to keep the others away in our own sewing circle. Nisa did not like them either, I could tell."

Ah – Helen, right. He thought he had recognized her, but someone else in the room had stolen his attention.

“That’s very kind of her,” said Malachi, before he quieted again to let her continue.

At least she had Helen to do those kinds of things for her. Her presence in Nettie’s life made him feel slightly less guilty for considering leaving... but not enough to make a difference.

His brow furrowed lightly as she spoke, doing her best to be polite about what sounded like a handful of unpleasant women. In truth, he tended to assume that most people were that way – nice on the surface yet malicious behind closed doors – but he had hoped that an embroidery club would not foster such behaviors.

At the mention of Nisa, he gave a nod.

“I see. She didn’t seem like the kind of person to tolerate much of that, no,” she hadn’t seemed all that tolerant of much in general. Malachi gave her the benefit of doubt, however, as he had not exactly acted to the best of his abilities either.

They passed by a row of familiar houses. One of them he’d visited just last week, as the elderly man could no longer make his own way to the church.

“If they’re still bothering you next time, you could mention it to the host. Or ask Nisa to mention it for you,” he pulled his hands from his pockets, clasping them behind his back.

“Is she your friend? You seemed quite taken with her and her brother.”

Well. He might have been projecting a bit, with the latter.

Nettie nodded and smiled. "She is a kind woman who is doing her best to help me fit in."

"Ah.. well.." She became nervous to reply as she continued with him. "It is tempting to have them removed or tell the host, but I worry it won't change their behavior. It will just hide it and make them annoyed at being called out. I will consider it if they keep it up though. Right now I am okay with keeping them away from the ones they are rude towards. Nisa may do something herself."

Her head turned when he moved his hands then back forward and she folded her hands before herself to look more proper to match his appearance somewhat. "Nisa does seem the type to do something if she's bothered enough. She is very nice but quiet. She rarely spoke in the beginning but slowly warmed up and told us a little. I don't know her brother really, I only met him seconds before you came in. He seems very nice though too. She mentioned him briefly, I get the feeling she tries to be close to her brother but he's very busy all the time. We both love our family, so we had that in common." She smiled brightly towards him.

"You spent a little time around Aslan, did you like him? I would like it if you made friends."

Try as he might to pay attention to the rest, his thoughts scattered with each mention of Nisa’s brother.

It was odd. Hearing her speak of him, knowing that they had simply been in the same room; watching two separate parts of his life connect without any indication of where that might lead. He’d never had that problem before – or, he hadn’t dealt with it since Nettie had been old enough to recognize his connections for what they were.

There had been plenty of lovers, but they had been brief. Dull. Pretty, but ultimately far too mundane to keep his interest, and that had always been a good thing.

The only one he’d ever brought around Nettie had sixteen years in the ground, buried in an unmarked grave.

Malachi caught her smile in the corner of his eye and turned his head, reflecting a smile back at her.

Aslan.

It was his first genuine smile since they’d departed. Perhaps the little bird had been right to keep the name from him; it did feel far more personal.

“I’m glad that you are handling it well, at least,” he said. “Unfortunately, not everyone can be as nice as you. I trust that you and Nisa will be able to enjoy yourselves regardless.”

He hoped, that was. He had faith.

Malachi looked forward again after that, smile gradually shifting into something more neutral. More befitting of a priest that wasn’t having indecent thoughts about a supposed near-stranger.

“He seemed kind enough,” he agreed. “I did not speak with him extensively myself.”

That was kind of true. He’d spent more time trying to occupy his mouth with water, and not Aslan, than he had spent talking.

“I’m not sure that we would do well as friends, I’m afraid,” also not a lie, “but he and his sister do seem pleasant enough, if a bit… distant. Though I did notice how eager Nisa was to have you over.”

Still wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

His sister noticed he'd seemed distracted as she spoke, but then mentioned his hope she'd get along with Nisa. She smiled at the compliment, "Ah, I am not that nice. I do try my hardest to get along with others though, and I think me and her will get along just fine in the group. It is good practice for me while I get my work started. "She suddenly looked at him curiously. "You think Nisa and her brother can help spread the word of my business?" She knew it was just a hobby to Nisa, and worried mentioning it in the group because the others might have their own business and wouldn't want her trying to cut in.

"Well, even though they are not catholic, the town is small. I think we will run into them again. Oh, Nisa did invite us over any time. Maybe we can have dinner or a luncheon with them some time." She liked the smaller woman who seemed to have a bit of a strange side to her, her brother was nice too and could possibly be a friend to Malachi.

She nodded at the mention of her being eager. "Don't give up so quickly. You should give people more of a chance. I fear you worry too much about first impressions."

He wanted to say yes, when she asked if the siblings could help spread word of her new business, but the question only added to his discomfort.

“I’m not certain,” he said, noncommittal, “I would ask Helen first though. She seems to have a lot of connections, she might know where best to start.”

That, and he couldn’t imagine his flighty detective hanging around the kind of crowd that she’d want for business. He did seem to be fond of disguises, for reasons Malachi hadn’t quite figured out (supposed it had something to do with whatever odd work he did), but he couldn’t exactly mention that to her.

Malachi cleared his throat to keep himself from immediately saying ‘no’ when she suggested having a meal with them.

If the mere thought of his niece being in the same room as Aslan was enough to make him uncomfortable, the idea of sitting down with the siblings and- and having a normal meal with them? Spending time in their company as normal people did? Bonding over dinner? That idea had him fidgeting, tongue tracing the edges of his teeth.

No. He couldn’t do that. For… far too many reasons.

“Maybe,” offered Malachi. He didn’t want to shoot her down completely, after all. But- no.

He could already imagine how difficult that would be, given his record thus far with keeping his hands off of the detective. It was a nice thought. A terribly domestic one that he might have entertained had circumstances been any different.

“Nettie…”

The closer they got to St. Hilda’s, the more his discomfort grew.

“There… is actually something I wanted to discuss with you. I just ask that you reserve any judgement until you’ve heard me out.”