He listened quietly, feeling sorry for her. "Loneliness came make us do foolish things." Gabriel said. Oof, his own words hit home just a little too much. He swallowed an tried to focus again on Karen. "I'm sorry to hear that this man treated you so."

"It gets worse..." she whispered. "The neighbors saw through my window as he sat with me. Then they all began to talk, and it wasn't him they called shameless, but me. 'Jezebel,' isn't a pretty name to be called. Tis why I left me home. Now I work fer a man who is so like me husband it hurts, but I stay to meself. I'm frightened to get to know me neighbors and possibly find out that word spread to them too."

Gabriel nodded slowly. "People can be harsh, but you must try not to pay heed to it. You made a mistake, treat the backlash as a lesson that will help you grow and make wiser decisions in the future. It will help you make wise decisions regarding your employer. Grief can come to haunt is when we least expect it and make us respond in ways that harm us and others. You must try and find a healthy way of expressing it, so you won't make the same mistake again.

She went quiet and thoughtful for the moment. "I don't think L... me employer would do somethin'... Not like that anyhow." She blushed. "I've been busy for the past month werkin' me hands to the bone until I am too tired ta get into trouble."

Gabriel nodded. "Then focus on that, and focus on your children. And as for those who condemn you, try to reconcile with those that matter. Your brother is probably only angry because he is concerned and didn't want to see you take bad decisions..."

"He cares more about himself," she muttered. "I haven't seen hide nor hair of him since he yelled at me. Not even in the market," she added, "Where he sells his medicine." Or rather, snake oil. "I think he may have left Whitby like he left me when I married Harold."

Gabriel stayed quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry to hear," he said. "Keep him in prayer. We do not always know why people act the way they do."

Elijah had left town, and Gabriel had seen hide nor hair from him. Focus!

She turned a little angry about him, but she only nodded. She gripped the pew in front of her, looking down at her white-knuckled grip with her lips pressing into a thin line. As far as Gabe was concerned, she did notice that he was somewhat distracted and her eyes lifted again to observe him. "And ye, how have ye been?"

Gabriel was a little surprised when she asked about him. "Oh, I've been alright." Not at all. "I just needed to get away from it all and have some time for reflection. I'm happy to be back." Was he? He was glad to be out of the convent, but he struggled to feel the passion he had felt before for his work. He looked at down at the kneeler below. "Your brother might be in that state as well, and return all new after some reflection."

She nodded, though she wasn't sure she believed he really wanted to be back. And then he brought up her brother again and spoke about him possibly needing to reflect. That was when she snapped in anger, not directed at the priest but rather, just at the situation and it was obvious that was what it was, "He left me by myself when I just had me babes, and then he did it again when we fought. I told him I needed him around but he isn't anymore. I don't think he wants to see me again."