A plan.  Edmund suddenly felt to curl up under the table and stay there.  He could only imagine what a foolish picture of himself he was painting for Tobias.

"We - yes, of course we did, but out belongings got lost on the trip over, along with the rest of our money.  So, we've hit a bit of a rough patch, you see."  Embarrassed, Edmund picked up his cup and took a sip of his tea.  Mable, darling girl she was, took it as an opportunity to speak up again.

"But even so, we've had lots of luck since coming to Whitby!  We've met so many nice people and made a lots new friends, and now with this job you're offering - it's hard to stay sad for very long!  All things considered, we're very blessed."