"Everything alright, Mrs. Carpenter?" asked the minister, approaching her. "If you're looking for Mr. Appleton, he's out in the back. I'll show you." He gestured to the church entrance.

She nodded, looking down at Emma for a moment to avoid eye contact. "Yes please," she murmured, when he asked if she was looking for Mr. Appleton. Her eyes lifted and she said, "Thank you."

The minister's eyes flashed towards her occasionally as he led her to the back of the church. "The child looks a lot calmer in your care," he said. A door in the back of the building opened to a graveyard, where Tobias stood at a distance looking down at a grave.

Her eyes finally met his at one point, guarded, and she murmured, "She was hungry. The poor babe, I am glad I am able to help." There was a softness to her voice that indicated she genuinely cared for Emma's well being. When they made it to the graveyard, she fixed her gaze on Tobias and tilted her head.

The minister nodded expressively.

Tobias turned his head when he heard them. He cast one last look down at the grave. Then he approached. "Ah, I'm sorry if I kept ye waitin'."

"It's perfectly fine," said the young widow softly. She looked to the minister and offered a slight smile. "Thank you, Minister."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Carpenter," the minister said eagerly while he walked the two down to the other side of the church "I'm glad to hear you settled in well. If I can be of any help to you, just let me know. I hope your wife feels better soon, Mr. Appleton. Pass my regards." He shook both their hands. Tobias helped Iris up on the carriage.

"Emma didn't fuss," he commented while they drove away.

"Only when she got hungry, sir," she murmured once she was settled in with Emma. Her mouth curled up a little, "She was hungry again."

Tobias nodded. He was quiet for a while as they drove out of town, back into the country. "When we get back to the house, I'd like you to take Emma to Mrs. Appleton for a bit," he finally said. He had decided to force it. Alice had to accept her role as a mother.

She nodded, "I will do my best, Mr. Appleton." A stab of jealousy later and she went quiet as well. The only sounds between them at the moment were the offbeat of rhythm coming from hooves, snorting, the occasional grunt from Emma, and the birds. Okay, so that was a lot of sound to at least fill the silence but you get the point, she wasn't talking.