Rose no longer tried to hide her blush, and what he said next made her feel like she was soaring. "I would like that very much..." she said, in a voice so quiet and shy that it sounded entirely unlike her. She was flattered that a man so handsome and so kind was interested in her, and she could not believe her luck.

Her reply gave him the biggest grin ever. Well well, he thought, his luck had finally changed... in the best way possible, of course. "Yere pretty when ye blush," he teased a little, squeezing her hand.

Rose looked down, unable to stop smiling. "I didn't know I could be pretty... thank you. Ye're... kind on the eyes..." Her cheeks hurt from smiling.

Kind on the eyes. Did she just call him handsome in an adorably awkward way? She sure did. Male pride almost had him puffing out his chest. "We should get ye back to town, aye?" he asked, wondering just how long they had been walking. It seemed like an hour to him, but he could be wrong. "Would ye like me ta walk ye home?"

"I have some time..." Rose said. "I don't want to... overwhelm my father, but I have another free day in two weeks. Perhaps... you would like to come for Sunday dinner. Erm... where do you go to church?"

He named the church where he went, probably the same one everyone else went to. "I'd like that. I can bring extra vittles if ye like. I have plenty of bread, ye know." Not that he needed to remind her, but he gave a wink.

Rose beamed at him. "That would be wonderful. I just hope... It's a simple cottage and a simple meal. I hope it won't disappoint ye."

"It doesn't matter that it is simple. Sometimes simple is better," he said with a smile. He thought about taking a tart or a cake. He wanted to impress.

Rose nodded and smiled. "I'm glad ye feel that way." She still felt like this was a dream. As she had served in Mr. Meijer's house longer and longer and she had started feeling more and more miserable, she had come to believe that no one would ever be interested in her. There hadn't been much to enjoy. And here, all of a sudden, she was being admired and flattered and treated with kindness.. It almost felt like a dream. "What's your favourite place in Whitby? Let's go there."

"Ye want to go back to the bakery?" he asked with a chuckle. "That is where I find most of me peace anyway. I ain't had a chance to find me way around Whitby to admire the sights yet." He looked down at her with a smile, enjoying himself thoroughly in her company.