Crane was married to his work, then, willingly or not. Malachi wondered what kinds of things the constable would occupy his time with if things were different.

A fellow orphan, too. He had not met any of the Wards himself just yet, but he'd heard the name enough that it stuck out in his mind at Crane's mention.

"I see," Malachi allowed himself to lean back slightly, sitting more comfortably against the couch.

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents. Even with the support of the community, that is a difficult thing to overcome."

The constable returned with tea, and Malachi accepted a cup, rings tapping lightly against it when he did.

"You mentioned how busy you are, are there really that many criminals in Whitby?"