[content warning: Reference to child marriage, reference to statutory rape]

The girl sat on a bench on the platform, bent over, with her face in her hands, sobbing. Her cotton bag sat beside her, forgotten. She didn't care if people coming off the train that had just arrived saw her like this. If they despised her for such a public display of emotion, she despised them back. And perhaps even now, when all hope was gone, she was still hoping for someone, anyone, to feel some pity for her. That someone would care.

Tomorrow was her wedding. And in a last act of despair, Alice had gone to find Noah. If he had changed his mind and wanted to marry her, like Elijah said, why had he still been avoiding her? He had hurt her more than she could ever express, but as long as there was a glimmer of hope that he loved her, or at least cared about her, and that she could marry him rather than Tobias, she was willing to forgive him. 

She had found him at last and had begged him to marry her, to talk to father, to work with him, and love her again. He had told her she was better off with the other guy, who had a farm and money, and who knew what he was doing. Alice had cried and had told him she still loved him. Noah had said that there was no way he would go near her father. Alice had begged and begged and begged, promising she would do anything, and she would always love him, and accept any conditions, if he just married her. Reluctantly, the boy had finally suggested they could run away together to Scarborough. Alice had agreed, although her heart had been aching. She would still have to leave her family and Whitby. She would hurt her family, running away again. She couldn't even risk telling Anne in advance. But perhaps once they were married, they would be accepted, and they could return to Whitby. Either way, had she any choice? And so she had agreed to steal money from home once again and meet him at the station at three. And she had done so.

Except, Noah hadn't been there. 

She had waited. She had watched people board the train to Scarborough, wishing the boy would hurry up, and beginning to despair. She had watched the train depart at quarter past three, with a lump in her throat. And still she had waited, dying a little every minute. She had watched other trains come in and depart. And finally, she had sunk down on the bench.

She should go home. Otherwise, father would find out her things and the money were gone. But what did it really matter? Tomorrow she would have a different man in charge of her anyway.

When the last train arrived, Benny had stepped out. He had a bag of some supplies that he couldn't find in Whitby. He'd been about to walk by when he noticed her. He frowned and looked at her. "You look like a mess. I don't think there's any more trains going. You missed yours?"

Even though he swore she was getting married to that weird guy. "Or was someone supposed to be getting off?" He looked around but no one seemed to be waiting around. He huffed and stepped closer. "You can't just sit there, you know."

Alice looked up. Benny. What did it still matter? She wiped her face, but that did little to hide her red eyes and gaunt face. "I don't know..." she whispered, frowning. "It don't matter..." Nothing did. Noah didn't love her. And her life was over. If she died here of cold, at least she didn't have to leave Anne, and Whitby, and she would never be Tobias'. A vague memory came to her mind of herself and her sister running across the moors with their hair and corsets loose. Would that she had died that night.

Benny walked over and sighed. He reached into the bag and held out his hand. "Open your hand. I'd say your mouth but I'm sure you don't trust what I'd put in it." He grinned teasingly. "if it didn't matter you wouldn't look so gloomy." He shook his hand just a little to reemphasize for her to open her hand to take whatever he had in it.

Alice passively opened her hand. She didn't even care if it was a trick.

Benny dropped something into her palm. It was a couple of pieces of candy. He sat beside her as his stuff wasn't in a rush. "You look like it's the end of the world. Why?"

Alice looked down at the sweets confused. Then she closed her hand around them and began to cry all over. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry if I was a jerk."

Benny looked shocked. He sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Thanks, that's all I wanted, you know." He took a second before glancing over, "Your sister said you were having a hard time and I should be nicer to you. I could tell things aren't easy, but I believe no matter our situation, we can only depend on ourselves to keep a little dignity, right?" He reached over and patted her shoulder briefly. "I forgive you. And now, I'm sorry I over did it. I guess I have a bit of a temper sometimes. I've been used to being thought of as nothing, so sometimes it gets to me." He pointed to her hand, "eat up. You can't feel much worse, so maybe it'll help you start to feel better. Or you can talk, I'm not in a rush."

Alice hardly cared that he was sorry, or forgave her. What did any of it still matter. What did justice and dignity matter, when it seemed there was none for her? She opened her hand and looked at the sweets. "I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I can't eat owt right now."

Benny shrugged, "That's fine. It's candy, it'll last a long time. So, since you can't talk and you don't see to be in a rush. Why don't you talk about it. Is it about this whole thing with you and that guy and your um.." He tried to find the right words without being too blunt. "your reputation? Sorry, I don't know the details."