The answer was good enough for the priest, if the slight upwards curve of his mouth meant anything. It was a different smile from the last one; more genuine, even in its subtlety.

“I think that would be a good idea,” came his quiet agreement.

If there was anything that Edmund and Mable were running from, he prayed it would not find them here. Whitby was as fine of a place as any to rest one’s head… though he was not unaware of the hypocrisy there would have been in saying that.

Apparently Edmund was not unaware of it either.

A soft laugh escaped him upon being called out, and Malachi toyed idly with the rings on his fingers, spinning them in place.

“I don’t sleep very well,” he explained, dark eyes focused forward.

It was a bit of an understatement. He didn’t sleep much at all, until his body wore itself out enough to have no other choice. His newfound devotion to his vows meant that it’d only be harder here in Whitby.

“And I get restless in the presbytery. I thought it would be nice to explore, since I’m not sleeping anyway- oh, there’s the hotel, that building there.”

Malachi gestured to the aforementioned building up ahead. The darkness prevented a good viewing of it, but it looked… nice. Really nice, in fact. That was a little worrisome. He glanced at the boy and his sister as they approached it.

“I’ll go in first and sort things out,” he suggested. “Have you eaten?”

The real question was, do you need food?