Mable sighed sadly at Father Brennan's decision, while Edmund smiled.  He was glad he wouldn't be getting dirty after all, but the promise to come back another time and dig placated Mable to an extent, and that was more than other adults would have bothered to do.

The heat affected the siblings just as much as it did the Father, but only one of them was vocal about it.  Without shade to relieve her even a little, Mable discarded her jacket and handed it off to Edmund as well to hold as the group neared the beach.  She took a deep inhale through her nose and grinned.

"We should spread out in a line," she directed.  "We'll cover more ground that way, and find shells a lot more easier, and also not get in each other's way."

"I don't want to be close to the water, so I'll stay closer up here," Edmund piped, squinting against the salty breeze.  Mable nodded.

"I wanna be closest to the water.  Father Brennan, are you alright walking between us?"

Really, she should have been asking Edmund if he was alright with the man standing between them, but maybe she didn't on purpose.  Edmund's answer most certainly would have been no without taking a moment to think about it.  Because she hadn't asked him, he actually did have to think about it, and... there were worse people to be standing between Edmund and his sister, and he'd still be able to hear and see Mable.

He'd be alright with it, then, if the Father was.  Two pairs of green eyes stared up at the man, awaiting his answer with similarly open expressions.