Joe approached the address Pearl had given him for tea, or dinner as those with more polished manners than called it. The handle of her wicker basket balanced on his forearm. He then thought it looked unmanly and soft and let it drop into his palm trying to butch it up a tad.

Inside the basket was her cleaned pie plate and some freshly purchased flowers. Short on time, Joe had persuaded young Kate to clean a dish that the family didn't own, to help him brush off his coat, and absolutely not to tell mum. Her silence had come at a steep price: a bag of sweets and two bottles of ginger beer.  The little pirate.

Putting aside his debts for the moment, Joe stared at the front door. The house fit its occupant: elegant, tidy,
evidence of money, but not so much money as to give the wrong impression. Joe knocked.

Speaking of impression, Joe adjusted his coat as he waited. While not his Sunday best, he was at least defished and had curiously avoided sweaty work at the depot today.  He fished the flowers out of the basket as the door opened.

Tilly opened the door. The cheerful older woman said, "Come in, come in, Mister Blacke. The mistress is in the kitchen. Take your coat, and hat, sir?" she offered. She was happy because her mistress seemed in good spirits.

Pearl was in the kitchen just finishing up the small roast chicken that she flavored with dried herbs she had hanging up over the kitchen hearth, and of course some salt and pepper. There was the aroma of fresh-baked bread hanging in the air throughout the whole house.

When he entered the house, he would likely notice that it was more of a middle-class-looking home, two stories, cheerfully painted white with yellow walls inside the house. She had afghans and quilts draped over her furniture to ward off the chill of late winter. All in all, her home was very colorful and bright as opposed to dark and drab like most Victorian homes.

Tilly showed him to the kitchen and bade him to wash his hands, then disappeared into the room which happened to be hers. She was no chaperone.

When Pearl saw him, she smiled brightly at him. "Mister Blacke, how lovely to see you again! Welcome. Please make yourself at home."

Tilly opened the door. The cheerful older woman said, "Come in, come in, Mister Blacke. The mistress is in the kitchen. Take your coat, and hat, sir?" she offered. She was happy because her mistress seemed in good spirits.

Pearl was in the kitchen just finishing up the small roast chicken that she flavored with dried herbs she had hanging up over the kitchen hearth, and of course some salt and pepper. There was the aroma of fresh-baked bread hanging in the air throughout the whole house.

When he entered the house, he would likely notice that it was more of a middle-class-looking home, two stories, cheerfully painted white with yellow walls inside the house. She had afghans and quilts draped over her furniture to ward off the chill of late winter. All in all, her home was very colorful and bright as opposed to dark and drab like most Victorian homes.

Tilly showed him to the kitchen and bade him to wash his hands, then disappeared into the room which happened to be hers. She was no chaperone.

When Pearl saw him, she smiled brightly at him. "Mister Blacke, how lovely to see you again! Welcome. Please make yourself at home."

Indeed, the house was lovely with bright colours and lots of blankets.  Plus the smell of food filled his nostrils.  Joe needed little bidding to wash his hands.  He took a moment to appreciate the young lady amid her housekeeping.  Very proper, but also intimidating.  He still felt very undeserving of her attentions like he was still that scruffy young lad back in the Cragg long ago. And yet, couldn't help but mirror her smile.

"These are for you." He sort of thrust the flowers at her, he didn't want to forget to give them to her.

She moved to him and took the flowers, "Oh, they are so pretty. Thank you!" She went to get a vase to put the flowers in, filling it partway with water and then putting them all in. The vase was then placed on the mantle.

She was wearing a striped dress that was less fancy than her others, and an apron over that. There was, as was her usual, a light dusting of flour on her nose. She pulled the apron off and placed it on the peg, moving to place the food on the table.

There was the chicken, bread, mashed potatoes, and minted peas. There was an apple pie sitting on the counter cooling.

"I hope today finds you well," she said, moving to get some hot cider from the pot on the back of the stove. Then everything was ready.

She moved to him and took the flowers, "Oh, they are so pretty. Thank you!" She went to get a vase to put the flowers in, filling it partway with water and then putting them all in. The vase was then placed on the mantle.

She was wearing a striped dress that was less fancy than her others, and an apron over that. There was, as was her usual, a light dusting of flour on her nose. She pulled the apron off and placed it on the peg, moving to place the food on the table.

There was the chicken, bread, mashed potatoes, and minted peas. There was an apple pie sitting on the counter cooling.

"I hope today finds you well," she said, moving to get some hot cider from the pot on the back of the stove. Then everything was ready.

Joe marvelled at the spread of food. Like Christmas Morn on a Tuesday.  His eyes, his mouth, and his stomach were all in agreement. 

"It does." Joe sat at the table and unsure of what to do with his hands, shoved them in his lap.

"You?"

She sat down across from him and nodded, "It does." She began to plate up his food before plating hers, then set his plate in front of him. "I hope you're hungry, I have made plenty," she chuckled and then folded her hands over her own plate. She bowed her head, "God is great, God is good, let us thank him for this food." She finished the prayer quickly and softly. Then she smiled up at him after the "amen."

"I am glad to see you," she said softly.

She sat down across from him and nodded, "It does." She began to plate up his food before plating hers, then set his plate in front of him. "I hope you're hungry, I have made plenty," she chuckled and then folded her hands over her own plate. She bowed her head, "God is great, God is good, let us thank him for this food." She finished the prayer quickly and softly. Then she smiled up at him after the "amen."

"I am glad to see you," she said softly.

Joe's stomach trembled at the plate in front of him.  He too bowed his head at the prayer, though he did sneak a sideways glance her.. so pretty.  The sound of her "amen" put him back on the path to holiness and he followed a beat behind.

"It's lovely to see you as well." he answered though he couldn't help grinning at the smudge of flour still on her nose.

"You've still got flour on your -." he tapped the tip of his nose

"Oh!" she covered her nose and mouth with her hand and giggled, then wiped at her nose until the streak went away. "I always do that." She chuckled and then grabbed her fork, looking down at her food with a little bit of a blush. Then after a moment, she began to cut up the chicken breast meat she put on her plate. It looked tender and juicy and the skin was brown and crisp from butter.

"I've been thinking about it, and it just seems so silly for you to call me, 'Miss Carrington.' At least when we're here. Please call me Pearl," she said, looking back up at him. She then put a small bite into her mouth and chewed. When done with that bite, she went on, "May I call you, 'Joe?'"

"Oh!" she covered her nose and mouth with her hand and giggled, then wiped at her nose until the streak went away. "I always do that." She chuckled and then grabbed her fork, looking down at her food with a little bit of a blush. Then after a moment, she began to cut up the chicken breast meat she put on her plate. It looked tender and juicy and the skin was brown and crisp from butter.

"I've been thinking about it, and it just seems so silly for you to call me, 'Miss Carrington.' At least when we're here. Please call me Pearl," she said, looking back up at him. She then put a small bite into her mouth and chewed. When done with that bite, she went on, "May I call you, 'Joe?'"

He looked down at his plate and over at his companion. Once again, Joe felt woefully outclassed, a bit ashamed really as manners at the Blacke table were lacking.  Unsure of what to do with his hands, he copied her haltingly.  The food was as good as home, and there was no higher praise.  

Sitting there in that moment in a proper house, at a table filled with proper food, not to mention with the beautiful company, Joe was struck by decidedly domestic yearnings.  A life of adventure didn't have all this, this security, and warmth. It didn't have her. This must be what paradise was like.  Aye, he could get used to it. 

"Yes, you can," he was going to add "Miss" because of habit, but added "Pearl" instead. He could get used to that too.

She smiled and said, "Hello, Joe." Her hand reached out and touched his arm as it was wont to do. Her hand was pulled back after a moment and she looked down at her plate. "I hope you like supper... I just learned to cook not so long ago. I asked one of the cooks at the manse to teach me against my mother's wishes." She chuckled.

She hated being idle, and that is what her family didn't understand. Pearl enjoyed toiling away, doing something besides stupid things like embroidery. Heaven forbid something happened to the family fortune at the rate her spoiled siblings were going, squandering away the empire that her father had built. He'd approved of her going and learning how to fend for herself, unlike most of her brothers.