The girl put the cushion in her mouth.

After a while, Ruth returned with Sam. She put the soiled clothes in the bucket, then put the child on the ground. "'Ave ye got some milk for Lucy?"

Elijah was about to stop Lucy but decided to let it be so he could cook. He looked over towards Ruth and nodded.

"Yeah I have some milk.." He got the chilled cupboard open and handed her the bottle of milk. "Whatever she doesn't drink you and Sam can have." He said as he offered Lucy back to her mother.

Ruth took Lucy, went to find a glass baby bottle from her bag, rinsed it and poured the milk in. Then she put the cork back in, sat down and held the nipple out to Lucy. The baby cried after the first sip, but then apparently decided she was hungry enough and drank some more. Sam walked over and reached out for the milk, but Ruth pushed him away. "You wait."

Elijah knelt down and offered the boy a slice of bread with a thin spread of honey. "Here you go. Here's some breakfast. Let your mom focus and she'll get to you in a few minutes, alright?" He smiled trying to help Sam and ruffled the boy's hair before going back and plating the prepared eggs. He brought a plate over to Ruth. "Here's your breakfast. Do you want something to drink?"

Sam took the bread and wolved it down.

Lucy stopped drinking and Ruth put her down on the floor and put the bottle down. "Thanks." She would like a glass of ale or something stronger before the pain and her children drove her mad. But she didn't want to give Elijah a reason to kick her out. "Some tea please," she said instead. She picked up the wet cloth and put it against her face. "Yer good with bairns." Which was helpful to know.

Elijah shrugged and smiled. "I like kids. I helped out a tiny bit when I was younger with others." He wasn't going to mention the word Ward around her. He instead turned and started on some hot water. "I am sorry you have to take care of them alone. You have a lot of stress and need a break. Maybe if I get a little time off work I will help. You probably could use a little more sleep since you woke during the night."

"Aye I know..." she said. He had been there sometimes, when she had been over at the Wards. She tilted her head and looked at him. Why was he so kind without wanting anything from her? "Thanks, Crane. I'd appreciate that." Lucy began to cry again and Ruth sighed, put the cloth down and lifted her back onto her lap. "Then make up yer mind," she said and she handed the baby the bottle.

Elijah nodded to Ruth and smiled. "It's no problem. I'm happy to help when I can. This must be very difficult for you to do alone, even if your kids are very sweet. They are still very little and need a lot of attention."

He got the boy some water while he would have to wait on the milk and then fixed her tea. "Would you like anything in your tea?"

"Aye, it can -," she stopped for she noticed that she was suddenly a little out of breath and there were tears prickling in her eyes. Angrily, she fought them back. She wasn't going to sit and cry here in Elijah's kitchen and give him an advantage over her, but his empathy did more to unsettle her than any insult would have done. "Ye can use the milk there," she said quietly. She nodded at the bottle on the table. "I didn't put everythin' in. Milk and sugar please, if its no trouble..." Damn it.

Elijah noticed her stop and looked at her. He quickly made the tea the way she asked and he sat at the table to eat his own breakfast and looked at her in concern. "Come on, Ruth.. you can talk to me. I may not be able to fix things, but I can lend an ear. "