But at that point, Ben reentered the cottage, calmer, and sat down. "Ye can't kill t' bairn, Alice. Whatever you do. I know you was scared before, and I may have been t' reason you were desperate and tried that, and I'm sorry. But you can't kill t' bairn."

Elijah frowned and slipped his arm off of Alice as he felt she didn't need his comfort now, she would be alright. "While I agree, I don't want her to lose it, I think we must be fair to her and let her make some decisions. She doesn't have to exactly keep it either. She could put the child up for adoption. There's great people out there who can't have their own sometimes."

Ben looked from Elijah to Alice as Elijah slipped her arm off her shoulder, and squinted his eyes slightly. Then he sat back and shook his head. "As if there's not enough orphans in t' world. You yourself have seen what it was like when t' bairn was dropped on your doorstep. In our community we don't do that sort of thing. We don't cast off one of our own, just because it's convenient."

Elijah sighed and frowned. "Then maybe we can get someone to look after her until she has the baby? No one has to know it was hers. We can say she went to help whoever was gonna have the baby and in the kindness of her heart took it in?"

"People will know. People already know. I've gathered with some of our community just now. I'm not concerned about t' scandal, Elijah. It's already there. But she won't find a husband once t' bairn is born. T' men will ask around. We'll find someone to marry her and claim that child, and that's how it's always been solved. Alice, go back to your room."
Without a word, Alice got up and went to the other room, closing the door behind her.

Elijah frowned. "You are just adding to her misery. Who are you even going to marry her to?! She will just be unhappy and now locked to who knows what kind of man..."

"I'm not doing this to add to her misery, Elijah. I'm doing this to give her a new chance of a happy, dignified life. We're lookin' for someone. Actually Elijah..." He rubbed his brow. "Don't get angry when I suggest this. I wouldn't ask it now if I wasn't desperate. I know you can do... better now, but before, you said you don't want to marry because you feel you are too busy with your job and wouldn't be able to make a wife happy. Well, Alice has little to expect of life now, but a whole lot to gain from such a match. I know I'm asking beyond what I can ask of ye, but might you not take her as yer wife and claim t' child?"

Elijah looked shocked and frowned sadly. "That.. that isn't fair to Alice. I know she is desperate now, but in a couple of years time, she'll be miserable to be married to me. I would be a disappointment as I'm never home and I.. I have never even tried to be affectionate with someone. She also deserves someone who doesn't have my scars, they'd probably give her nightmares, to be honest. " He shook his head.

"She deserves better, Ben. Far better than me. "

"I daresay at this point you deserve better..." Ben muttered. "You'd be the best thing for her. She already cares about you and you about her. She's known you all her life. And I know you and I know you are good and responsible. Ye needn't give me an answer now. Just think about it."

Elijah sighed and hoped he'd have a plan before then. "Let me think about it, but keep looking for her..."