Why did Lory seemed shocked at that. Was it news to her that selling herself was not love? Poor Lory. She did remember how the boys in school used to look at her. Maybe that had given her wrong ideas. And what with her father and brother dead. Maybe something had just gone wrong in her mind. Or heart. Or something like that. Something to help her explain how her cousin could think this kind of life was alright.

"Please do," she said with some relief, when Lory agreed to look into typing. "Good." She bit her lip.

Awkward silence.

“Well, I just wanted to check up and see how you were doing,” Lory said, hoping to escape excuse herself. “Good to see you again, Alice … doing so well.”

She licked her lips and looked away in instant regret.

She looked down and sucked her lip in. In a sense she didn't mind it. It was better than Lory affirming that she was not doing well. "Good to see you too," she said coolly, looking at the vegetables on the cart rather than her cousin. Seagulls flying over the harbour behind them cried out as if to mock them.

Then all of a sudden, she moved. She grabbed one of the smaller baskets, filled it with potatoes, turnips, a cabbage, and she placed some eggs on top. "Here," she held it out to Lory. "Take this."

Pity. Alice, ever-suffering Alice, chained to a man old enough to be her father, still dreaming of love in a world that rewarded only constant suffering, offered her pity. Pity, because the Devil had offered her a sum for what Alice had been taught to at once guard and then give away for free.

The Devil was the most reasonable man she’d ever met.

“Thank you, Alice.”

She accepted the basket. Pity would fill their stomachs tonight, and Lory?

Lory would buy a nice new dress after this.

Alice frowned. She didn't want Lory to leave. "Take care of yourself, alright?" she said quietly, trying to delay the loneliness even if just for a few seconds.

Lory closed her eyes, willing back tears. Alice looked so lonely. So lost.

“You too, Alice.”

Maybe she could make more. Look out for Alice. Look out for the women of their family the way their fathers never had.

“Come visit,” Lory sighed. “You can stay with us if Uncle Ben doesn’t-” let you any more “-… have the room.”

Alice nodded and tried to smile. "I will," she replied as cheerfully as she could.

If her husband let her.