She sighed as she saw the boy and his offering. She shot a look toward Sam and he could probably now see she was no longer there even as her body was in sight. The look on her face was that of immense emotion, and she had been trying to get away from him for that reason. She didn't want him to see her cry after he saw her dancing, that would have just rubbed salt into the wound. The woman was lost anyway.

Now she was standing there with one of those expressions a person gets when they have taken one too many blows. Her mouth curled downward and she moved toward a bench, sitting down heavily. She did not want to take the food, but she had anyway. The fact she didn't go far was a good indicator she was done trying to outwit him.

Except now he was the one leaving her behind. With a heavy and reluctant sigh, she followed after him and reached him several minutes later, but she didn't say anything as she made it next to him.

when she started walking beside him he looked down at her, honestly surprised to see her again, he figured she would still be mad at him. when Sam took not of the look on her face he shook his head softly, "I can't say i know what its like here, in France or even in most parts of America...but round where i'm from sometimes people just wanna help. You don't owe me nothin, an you never will. Not fer feedin someone who's clearly hungry." he wasn't aware she was lost yet, he had just assumed she knew where she was going, and so he kept walking. truth be told he had been so drunk the night before finding the tavern she worked in he didn't really know where it was, it took hours for him to find the hotel he had checked into after that day. "Or was it somethin else on yer mind ma'am?" whats this? no comment? no looking at her backside? Could it be Sam is turning over a new leaf?

She continued besides him in silence, not looking at him. She wasn't angry, she was just plain defeated. She gave a shrug, not sure how to reply. Finally, she gave a long sigh and turned her gaze to him, her eyes not looking at him so much as through. The exhaustion was etched across her face that bespoke of just being plain tired. "It doesn't matter," she said at last. Her hands kind of played with what the food was in, and she fidgeted. Her face was pinched with hunger as she hadn't eaten it yet, but she clearly needed more than bread in any case. She simply walked wherever he walked, even as they approached the inn in questsion.

Sam stopped suddenly, and for the first time since he had met her the happy go lucky side fell away. Sam caught her hand in his to stop her, and he wouldn't drop it til she pulled it back, "yer wrong ma'am. it does matter. workin yerself half to death, barely eatin. plain to see the old man at the tavern cares about you. it may not matter much to you, but it matters plenty to others." his eyes were locked directly to hers, it was like he was looking at her, but looking past her at the same time. he was seeing his family in her eyes as he spoke, both talking to her and about them at the same time. "lots of folks don't get to go on anymore. lots of others got nobody around to give a damn anymore...but you do. so go for it, chase what you want to hell an back, but not at the cost of yer own self." at this point if she hadn't pulled back he would finally drop her hand. they were at his hotel at this point, which was good since the sun was pretty well set at this point. "can i help you get home at least?"

"To what end?" she asked a little louder than intended. She snatched her hand away. "Dancing does not feed me, Monsieur, work does." And then she turned away so he wouldn't see that she was in tears now. She dashes one or two angrily away. "It doesn't matter," she said again softly, "I'm just an orphan trying to find some security. Dancing won't give that to me." And with that, she turned away altogether.

"an workin while NOT eatin is gonna give you security? I'm sure the old man ain't gonna work you like a borrowed mule, you can't look for opportunity when yer off?" he narrowed his eyes at her as she turned her back on him, "to what end...to YOUR end. spend the rest of yer life wishing and wanting staring through a tavern window, or go for it and at least not regret havin never tried." he grabbed her by the shoulders to spin her back around, "it were clear to me on that rock today that dancin is all you care about. its the only time i've seen you smile. i can understand tryin and failin ma'am, but i can't get sittin back and wishin." true, he didn't know much about her, true he didn't know if she had tried or not elsewhere, or even here. Sam however did not want to see her end up like he had. while it ended up leading to a happy...but temporary life, that ended in disaster, for himself and all involved. "I'm beggin ya, don't end up like me."

"Why? So I can starve for dancing? I knew I shouldn't have done it. I knew I should have just... Left well enough alone," she sobbed, too tired to pull away. "I don't have a future in dance unless you count that stupid brothel offering me work." She sniffed loudly and then dissolved. "And I don't know my way back home, as if I needed that too." Then she finally pulled away and swiped angrily at the moisture on her face. She sniffled. "And I don't want to walk anymore, my feet hurt, and I'm hungry, and," she hiccupped, "I'm here with you despite the fact that you've touched every nerve of mine possible today in your haste to chase me around town. Why?" And she gave a shuddering breath and her gaze finally met his. Damn, why did she have to go and do that? There was something new that she wasn't even sure how to name. Perhaps attraction she tried to deny.

he watched and listened, and his gaze softened slightly, "alright, yer not in any state for this tonight. You need a meal and sleep ma'am." he wasn't sure what to do about her being lost, its not like he knew his way any better. and even asking for directions it would still leave them in the streets at night. "why did i chase you?" he kept hsi eyes square on her own, "because a girl who falls asleep in a bowl is not alright." he motioned toward the hotel, "come on, lets see if they have anything to feed you beside that bread. think of it as payback for me pushin yer nerves all day, and a kind of sorry but only a little for seeing your...costume." his voice was softer now, still deep but it lacked the normal smartassed tone he normally carried. "After that we'll see about getting you a room for the night. "i could also carry you if your feet are hurtin that much...just an offer." he smiled again, and motioned toward the hotel.

She gave a shrug and went in, and then sat where there was an opening to do so. There weren't many, and others kind of stared her way. She did her best to ignore them and looked down at her hands. But then, assuming he sat down, she looked at him finally. Her eyes were actually an interesting shade of blue-green that wasn't seen very often. And while her face was blotchy from her tears, she seemed no worse for the wear. And then she really noticed... He'd shaved. Granted, he probably had scruff on his face by now but not like it had been. And he wasn't hard to stare at. She swallowed and forced herself not to think of him as more than a friend. She didn't know whether he would disappear or what.

Sam did indeed sit down, removing his hat and placing it to one side on the table as they waited for service he spoke gently, " order what you want, we don't want you passing out again." as for Sam, he seemed to be craving some beef stew and hoped they had it. when the waitress appeared he would wait for her to order, then place his own. he had noticed the people looking at her, and his eyes met her own again, he loved their color, but didn't much like seeing her cry. Sam would reach into his shirt pocket for a clean cloth, he was told most people round here carried them, and offered it to her. "Once we're done eatin well see about that room for you." his hands were farmers hands, rough to the touch and callused, particularly his thumb from cocking the hammer on his gun. "then tomorrow we can see about gettin you home."