Jimmy had prepared the old Sunday carriage and was now standing in the yard, holding the horse. He and his sister would remain behind in case Mrs. Appleton would need anything, since she was still too weak to come. Tobias had paused outside of Alice's door, debating whether to announce that they were leaving for church, but had finally turned and gone downstairs without a word. Now he was pacing the floor in his Sunday best, with a freshly trimmed beard and a sullen look on his face. "Mrs. Carpenter?" he called up the stairs.

She was running a little late because the baby had been hungry... She did what she could to make the girl happy and then spent the time necessary to make sure Emma wouldn't spit up on her and that her plain, black gown was wrinkle free. She looked comely even still, and her copper hair was thrown up into a bun and hastily pinned. She exited the room with the baby in the crook of her arm, awake and staring around, likely curious as to the world around her.

Iris took the stairs carefully so as not to fall, and stopped a few steps above where he stood. "I am sorry, but Emma was hungry. I am sure even God would forgive me for that lapse in time," she gave a slight smile and then nodded. "I am ready."

"Of course," said Tobias, feeling a little bad that he had probably sounded agitated. But he had been. He forced a smile and held the door open for her. Once they were seated in the high gig, Jimmy opened the low gate and they were off.

It was early, but it was already warm. They drove into a valley along the sandy cart track in a pleasant pace. Now and then a rabbit shot across the path, but Tobias had taken Finn, the more reliable horse of the pair, and he wasn't easily startled. There were meadows on either side. The grass had been cut in some of the fields yesterday and now lay drying in the sun, filling the air with a sweet scent. Beyond and behind, higher up, the moors had not yet turned quite purple, but they already seemed full of life with fresh high grass interspersing the sturdy heather plants, and birds soaring and singing above, and a few white specks where sheep grazed.

Whether on a foggy, damp winter's day, or on a morning like this, this land was home to Tobias and he cherished it on any day. But he had to admit there was something rapturous about early summer mornings on the moors. As the carriage gently rocked along, he forgot about his fellow passenger, and sat in silent veneration, while the agitation and stress that tended to build up in the house melted away in the gentle rays of morning sun.

She seemed to forget about Tob... Mister Appleton, and was stuck on the view as well. She was lost in a childhood memory, something better, of her running through a field just like this with her bosom friend, Ava. Ava's life went in a different direction than hers, she mused as her mind went off on another tangent. Emma, who was a devout catholic, became a woman of the cloth, while Iris always saw herself as a wife and mother one day.

Iris shook her head to clear the negative thoughts creeping into her brain from that point. She was determined to breathe in the scent of her freedom and be grateful. "It's a rather fine day, is it not, Mister Appleton?" She finally broke the silence, though not awkward silence, thank goodness. "It's been some time since I've seen a day as lovely as today."

Tobias suddenly remembered his companion. "Oh. Oh, aye it is," he snapped out of it. "This area is real pleasant in summer, at least I think it is." And he was glad that at least someone seemed to agree. There was something nostalgic about the sweet air and buzzing sounds all around him, pleasant memories of long summer days spent exploring the moors when he was a boy.

The church bells could be heard from Castleton village, which was now visible ahead of them. "Did you live in the countryside, before you came to Whitby?"

"Yes, sometimes we'd live in the country, and others, we would live in the city," she said by way of reply. Then a sudden smell hit her nostrils and her expression changed. She lifted the babe to her shoulder and pulled her little gown up just enough so she could pull the nappy away from her butt. The nappy was clean.

She gave a sidelong glance toward Tobias as the smell went away and she wondered if he too smelled it for that fleeting moment.

Tobias glanced at Iris, before turning his eyes back on the road. "Was that Emma?" he chuckled.

"Certainly wasn't me," she said with a chuckle. She glanced toward the direction of the church bells and her smile died. She looked nervous as she righted Emma, "I hope they like me..."

Tobias grinned as they drove on. "Don't worry. Most of them are good people, though some are prone to the small village vice." Gossip, that was. "Those that don't like ye if yer nice to them are not worth yer time, that's what I think." They had reached the village now, which consisted of one large street lined with modest sandstone houses, and a few short roads branching off. Some people were walking in the direction of the center and looked at Iris with interest. Tobias tipped his hat at them.

She gave a nod, anxiety clawing at her belly. She looked down at Emma, who was making baby sounds and flailing her arms. Her eyes closed then and she murmured, "You're right."