Ruth followed him to the bedroom. She put Lucy down and then she looked at him gently. Aye he was nice to her. He was one of the few men who had ever been nice to her - consistently nice, that was. Look at this! He had her alone in a bedroom and he hadn't yet thrown himself on top of her.

She watched him keenly, wistfully almost. "Don't worry about t' sheets. We've slept in dirtier places." She hesitated then she stepped towards him and put her hand on his arm. "And aye, you are nice to me. Ye always 'ave been. Yer more perfect than most men. The offer still stands, ye know. I mean, not marryin' me, I get ye don't want me. But just t' sleepin'." She rubber her thumb over his arm. "So ye don't have to be alone..."

So that she wouldn't have to be alone. She was always alone.

"I won't be bothered by yer scars. If me face won't bother ye."

Elijah gently played Sam down by his sister just before Ruth approached him. He rose a brow and stared at her. Was he surprised? Only slightly that she still tried after seeing his scars. He had to think on how to say what had to be said. He took a deep breath.

"Ruth.. your face doesn't bother me. I think you're a lovely woman, and I mean that. But I also think you're too young for me. I'm thirty. You deserve a nice man your age who will treat you the way you should be treated, and who you have to ignore what his hands look like. I am always your friend, and I will be here for you. But I think you're too young for me. I want better for you. " He didn't want her, but it wasn't her fault in the slightest.

He hugged her slightly. "I am sorry I can't be the man you should have Ruth. I really am." He let go. "You should get some rest..."

Ruth hugged him back. Talk about mixed signals!

He didn't want her for her sake? Why was it that the one man who was kind and concerned for her didn't want her? - Well... that was probably why.

She did not let go. "Every man I've had so far's been cruel one way or another. They're not like ye. I thought ye men liked yer lasses young?"

Elijah was surprised when she continued to hold on. He didn't want to be cruel and push her away. The constable looked down at her, pleading with his eyes she didn't force the issue. The man was being honest that he didn't want someone barely an adult, though that was the lesser of his personal reasons.

"We aren't all the same, Ruth. I am being honest that you would be happier with someone else. And that I can not give you what you want, and it isn't against you. You are barely an adult, kids or not. I'm thirty years old. That's over ten years. I was already quite a grown boy when you were born." he said. He honestly didn't know if he could tell her the truth, if she'd believe him, and worse, if she'd be angry or disgusted at him. "I am here for you Ruth but I.. I just can't."

She didn't want to let go of the warmth of another... a safe human being. But she dropped her arms at last and stepped back. She put the cloth back on her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly on him as if she was trying to peer through him. She tilted her head. "Is it cus of what that article implied?" she asked. She waved her free hand. "I mean not t' beatin' women bit. I know ye wouldn't."

There it was.

Was it there? The disgust and distrust? She released him and her eyes narrowed. And then she mentioned that damned article.

Elijah stepped back, and his arms curled up against himself as if covering something unseen. His eyes dipped in shame and already he could feel this pain and fear he'd tried to deny could come.

"Ruth.. please... I've lived in this town pretty much all my life. I've never dallied with anyone, man or woman. I just.. wanted to live a quiet life and help people. What can't you let me have.. just that much?"

He felt tears and his voice cracked. He put a hand to his face and immediately turned to leave. "I'm sorry..."

[CW: rude language]

Whatever reaction she had expected, it wasn't that. Crane seemed to recoil, and then curl up, shut like a clam, and... was he crying? She felt bad.

"Crane, wait!" She walked after him. "I was just asking, I wasn't accusin' ye of owt. I don't even care." She kind of did, but for selfish reasons not for moral ones. "Whoever wrote that article is a cunt."

Elijah couldn't look at her, even as she went after him and spoke. He did seem to get some relief as she told him she didn't care. "I'm sorry.. I'm a mess.. It's been a lot of stress from that article.." He shook his head keeping a gloved hand to his face to cover his eyes as he tried to regain control of himself.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have written that ad in the paper. I thought maybe if I found someone to play my wife, my worries would go away. Even though I can't be a good husband and it was for such selfish reasons. Just so I could have a quiet 'normal' life. Meeting with..." Should he mention her name? Let it out into the cosmos to spread that her assumption was leading to his misery? She was Ben's niece.

"Lory Ward... had been a terrible idea." If it was fair for her to rub his name into the mud, he could do the same. At least he was being honest about it. He would face her soon enough as it was. When he had the words to say to her.

As he himself said, Crane was a mess. Ruth watched with her head lightly tilted. She listened to his mutterings and then....

Her jaw dropped while the corners of her mouth turned up. She covered her mouth with her hand, but something between a gasp, a snort, and a laugh still escaped it. She felt bad, but she also continued to cover her mouth so he wouldn't see her the shock and glee. "Lory..." No way! "You tried to... With Lory?" she asked, as if she still needed him to confirm it before she could believe it. "I can't believe she did that to you..." She gave him a surprised look. "What did you do to 'er?"

Elijah flushed with embarrassment. "I hadn't recognized her. It's been a while since I saw her. I was desperate." He said excuse after excuse. He was still a mess, but it was nice she was laughing at him over something this ridiculous and treated him like normal. "I know. I didn't even give her any reason. I told her it wouldn't work out and she got angry at me, I guess." He sighed and shook his head then looked over. "Nothing yet.. I am going to talk to her soon. But I'm not certain what to say. I'm afraid if I'm not careful she'll make it worse, you know?"