It was nothing like university life. At last Jacob felt he was doing important things. He was making a difference. There was thrill. There was promise. He and the comrades that had come with him to Whitby had been distributing pamphlets to people who seemed open to their message and had extended invitations to come to their rally meeting this evening in the house that they had hired. It was harder to find people sympathetic to their message than in bigger cities were there were more laborers. The fishing community had to work hard for little money and their living conditions were tough, but the people were not yet 'owned' by the big companies. And so they had focused on living conditions instead. The slum-yards were terrible, with open drains, too many people in small, damp cottages, and diseases spreading like fire. Better housing conditions, a fairer rate for their fish, healthcare. They did not seem to care much about education, and so he and his friends had left that out as well, when speaking to the fishing community. They used that, and fair wages, and more legal protection, when talking to the other poor of this town.

One of the comrades was standing on a table, preaching a message about better living conditions, and how it was the government, and the wealthy owners of capital who controlled that that kept circumstances like this. Jacob listened, while he watched the group of people that had gathered. His heart swelled. This was life!

Rose had been a little jumpy in the beginning. It was a free evening, but she wasn't sure how Mr. Meijer would feel about her being here. Or her father. And yet this message fascinated her. How could she say no to the promise of better living conditions. Perhaps if there has been more money, Tom wouldn't have had to go out that fateful day. If there had been better living conditions and healthcare, perhaps mother and her baby sister would have lived. And Simon... well... that had been a cluster-, a cluster of circumstances. If wealth had been distributed more evenly, perhaps her sister hadn't been pulled out of school and she could have been training to be a teacher now. She wouldn't have had to go to York. Perhaps if all people were equal, George wouldn't have... That wound was still fresh. What it came down to was that Rose was captivated by this message, and she had come, despite fear, and now stood listening with an unusual focus.

Benny was off to the side and listened. Occasionally, he rode a hand and let out a soft cry of agreement to the stirring words of the man on the table. He had a smile on his face, not particularly worried about upsetting anyone. "Take down the rich. Bring up the poor. My kind of message."

Rose turned at the cry and spotted Benny. Her eyes became wide and she quickly moved further into the crowd. Other people in the crowd cheered at moments, and Rose had joined in before, but now she felt uncomfortable, lest the young man would see her.

The man continued with the passion of the crowd then noticed someone among them who was quiet. He rose his brow and smirked stepped closer to her moving around to take a position behind her.

"Wouldn't expect your type here. Or are you a tattle?"

Rose jumped and turned. She blushed. "Of course I'm not," she hissed. "Are you?"

Benny smirked. "I am a sailor. I don't care about any government. I do believe far more in equality, it helps everyone. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Good. Then we're on the same side," she cut him off. And she turned back to the speaker.

Said speaker was done ranting, and suddenly there were glasses of ale being passed round. "A toast! A toast!" someone shouted.

"Avoiding answers as usual.." He chuckled then cheered as he took his ale and downed it quickly. "To the people!"