After such personal losses and bad luck, a wedding was just the sort of happy event to turn things around.

"That's grand. Congratulations. If you'll be a baker's wife, can I get a cheap rate on loaves?" Joe asked jokingly. "Do I know this lucky baker?" he added.

Rose scoffed and gave his shoulder a gentle push. "Ye think ye'r the first who asked." There were downsides to having a lot of relatives. "Ye probably don't. His name is Andrew Willaby. 'e's from London. What about you, then? Ye courtin'?" He had turned out rather good looking, she had to admit.

Rose scoffed and gave his shoulder a gentle push. "Ye think ye'r the first who asked." There were downsides to having a lot of relatives. "Ye probably don't. His name is Andrew Willaby. 'e's from London. What about you, then? Ye courtin'?" He had turned out rather good looking, she had to admit.

Joe blushed slightly at such a personal question from a virtual stranger.  At present, his two loves were supporting Whitby Town Football Club and a regular brown ale

"No. No lass has cast 'er eye on me." He liked the fairer sex as much as the next man, he just hadn't met the right one; the 'foresakin' all others..." one, a wife.

"Well... men have time..." Rose commented. "Oh, how about yer family. Are they all good?" It had been long ago, but Rose seemed to remember that he had several siblings.

"Well... men have time..." Rose commented. "Oh, how about yer family. Are they all good?" It had been long ago, but Rose seemed to remember that he had several siblings.

"Mostly.  Me mum and dad are just fine.  Me older brother John took the queen's shillin' and joined the army.  His last letter came from India.  I don't know if you remember Ruth, my older sister?  Well, finally did what she said she would and ran off with her true love to Middlesboro' last year; 'eard n'er a word from 'er since.  Then there's baby Kate, still at home.  When I say baby, she's 14 now, but I just see her as younger.  So, that's them."

"She did not!" Rose said in disbelief when Joe mentioned what Ruth had done. What a delightfully scandalous tale. Her pregnant out of wedlock with a quickly patched up marriage sister was nothing compared to that! "Must be hard on yer parents, yer brother so far away and her not writin' an' all," she said when her more compassionate side returned.

"She did not!" Rose said in disbelief when Joe mentioned what Ruth had done. What a delightfully scandalous tale. Her pregnant out of wedlock with a quickly patched up marriage sister was nothing compared to that! "Must be hard on yer parents, yer brother so far away and her not writin' an' all," she said when her more compassionate side returned.

"Aye, it's a sad tale for me mum.  Me dad? Best not to mention Ruth to him, safer.  Me mum loves John's letters with his tales o' brightly dressed ladies, elephants, and sword-eatin' men."  he paused "Just the sort of adventure you and I would have jumped for a long time back."

Rose couldn't blame his father. Her own father would have been infuriated, and even more: hurt, if one of them had done such a thing, especially if they would then refuse to write home. She wondered why Ruth didn't seek to reconcile with her family now that it was done and over with. But she dared not ask any other questions about it.

"Aye, 'tis. I'm surprised you didn't join the army or Navy as well. I would have thought you would."

Joe had to admit that Rose had a point. He was still young enough for an adventure like that, and there was not much adventure to be found at the town railway station. But, he couldn't do something like that. Despite him being the oldest living child, John had run off in a selfish flash to leave Joe to carry the burden of the family legacy. Now with Ruth gone too, the idea of Joe himself leaving his family when they were hurting felt like a cruel act of betrayal.

"True, still could. But fer now me place is 'ere. Are you ready for your happy day, then?" Joe asked, changing the subject back to Rose.

Rose tilted her head to the side slightly. That sounded awfully responsible. Nothing like the Joe she had known once. But there were many years in between, as well as a loss of childhood. Rose for her part had learned to be more responsible and she supposed the same applied to her old friend.

"Oh aye. I can't wait," Rose said. There were good sides to having many relatives as well. It had been easy to arrange things. There were many weddings in her community and everyone knew how to do things. Provided that the weather looked good, her relatives would spread sand across the Cragg, the long alley running parallel to the harbour, where many fisherfolk lived. People would bring their tables and chairs out, so they'd have one long table across the alley, and everyone would bring something to eat, and some would bring a fiddle or flute or other instrument. What Rose was most concerned about was just having the knot tied. There was a part of her that was terrified of another Abigail disaster and of Andrew would breaking off the engagement. "You must come actually. It'll be in the Primitive Methodist Chapel just across the river. Or ye can just come for the celebration afterwards. We'll be in t' Cragg!"