Karen awoke with a start and realized they were on the train to Gretna Green still. Right. Elopement. Her nerves were on her again, she thought. She was about to be married again, less than a year from her husband's death even... People were spreading rumors about the two of them that were bound to happen because they weren't careful. She did love Fred, truly she did, but the timing was just a bit off and she was scared that it would turn around and bite them in the rear. She wasn't having second thoughts like she probably ought to be.

She looked at Fred and smiled instead. Everything would be alright, right? It had to be. Fred was a good man, a decent fellow who would give her a good life. Stop worrying, she thought. He'll make it all better.