Anne closed the door behind her Mable and led the girl down the steps. "Careful, there's a loose tile 'ere."

She was thankful that Mable dropped the topic of her sister. Although Anne often felt helpless for want of someone to talk to about Alice, she didn't yet feel comfortable sharing the story and her anxieties with her new friend. What if Mable would judge Alice for the mistake she had made, or say that she should be grateful for having the opportunity to marry so well?

She once again covered the wound for now, and gave her friend a small smile. "I would like that, if me father will allow it. I've never been inside an 'otel before. What's it like?"

The returned to the main alley of the Cragg, but now followed it in the opposite direction. The children watched them recede.