"Alice... wake up, dear child...." Ben said. Tobias moved out of the way to give Ben space.

Alice had woken up. But she held her eyes closed. Just for now.

Benny smiled slightly at her and put a hand to his chest. "You mean it? In touched..." he teased.

Rose swore to herself that she would take every single opportunity to make Benny's life miserable from this day forth.

Anne, meanwhile had moved to Alice's side and was holding her hand. Alice opened her eyes, and Ben helped her sit up. By the time Elijah would return with the doctor. She would be sitting up, drinking a glass of water.

"Thank you, Elijah..." Ben said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Ben himself was pale and looked shaken.

The doctor examined Alice, taking her pulse, listening to her heart beat, examining her eyes and asking her to stand and walk a little. "Nervousness combined with anemia. She's under a lot of stress."

Anne cast her eyes up for a moment, but then sat next to her sister and took her hand again.

Tobias had a deep frown on his face. He looked at Ben. "Perhaps now is not the right time..."

"When is the right time?" Ben said grimly.

The doctor looked around confused.

As Benny heard the doctor's explanation he smiled more at Rose for being right and mouth the words "told ya.."

Elijah looked slightly relieved that she was up and stood by her side. "It'll be alright. " He looked quietly between the two men and frowned. He felt terrible that she had to go through this and wished he could do something. He looked down at Alice. "What would you like to do?"

Alice sat the the pew, clinging on to Anne's hand as if it was her lifeline. She didn't look at anyone but stared straight down at her knees, until Elijah spoke to her. She looked up at him in terror, then looked at Tobias, at father, at the minister, and then at Anne. Then she looked down again and shrugged.

Tobias watched her, frown deepening again. He closed his eyes and put his hand over his face and turned as if he was about to walk away. But then he turned again and crouched down in front of Alice.
"Alice... if you don't want this we can still stop..."

The doctor slowly moved back, until he could leave quietly - and very awkwardly.

Alice looked at him, tense, her eyes large and searching his face. Then she looked at her father, and her siblings. She pulled her hand out of Anne's and put her veil back over her face. "I'm alright."

Elijah sighed and stepped back though he certainly wasn't pleased. "Alright. If you wish." He sat in a front pew to keep an eye on her in case she fainted again. Everything about this felt wrong.

Benny was enjoying the drama but rest his chin on his palm. He looked at Rose and arched his brow. "Your sister is bloody weak. Think most girls would be thrilled a guy will take them in her condition." He shrugged, "but what do I know?"

Rose felt sick with the entire situation. Yet when Alice said she was alright, she moved back to her pew. What could she do to help her sister? What little she earned, already went to support her family in their basic needs, and she was desperate to get out of domestic service. Alice and her child would be a burden to them all. At least with Tobias, she would never have to worry about money again. And still she hated it.

And then came Benny's words. Rose gave him the most hateful look she was capable of. "You're trash, and you will always be trash, and my poor sister is way above you. So hold your tongue." She whispered.

Anne's heart ached when Alice pulled her hand out of hers. She wanted to cry, to cling to Alice, to tell her to say no, and together they would find a solution. But Alice looked cold and hard, and Anne knew that she was lost. She got up, but couldn't bear to place herself in the pew with her father and siblings, and instead, she joined Elijah. His mere silent presence felt like a comfort, however small it was.

In silence she watched as vows were given and rings were exchanged. They were like silent witnesses. Her only task now was to be a witness. Of a marriage or of a crime? Anne clenched her fists. All of this was wrong.

A blessing, a song, hardly sung, and then it was all over. Bells were rung overhead, too joyfully. Alice, Tobias, the family all headed out, but Anne stayed standing in her pew, beside the constable. Clenched fists sweaty. As other people moved out of their pews to follow the family, Anne still stood there, blocking Elijah's way, and watching. Tom had drowned. Simon had been driven to a heinous act and had paid the highest price. Maggie had tossed herself at the first man who would marry her to escape - they all knew it. She had been Alice's age. At sixteen, Rose had been sent into domestic service, and Anne knew how miserable she was. Now they had married Alice. And Anne understood that she was next. "I want to go back to school, Elijah."

Elijah looked down at Anne and sympathy and understanding were clear on his face. "I'll help you. I want you to do well. If you ever need a hand, just ask."