"Ben! He isn't your servant, he is your son. Yes, you want him to follow in your footsteps and care for his siblings. And you hope he does because he loves his family, but you can not force him. Rose is almost old enough to work, and I would always open my home to help them, even if it would be difficult. If something were to happen to you, between me and maybe some charity, it would work out until they could find something to do. I would never let your kids find themselves homeless and starving. And they will be adults before you know it and will have their own jobs but you have to give them the right to look elsewhere if they really don't want to follow you. If you kept this up and passed, what would keep him from running away in the night? It isn't against the law so I can't get hunt him down and make him. Your children would be even worse off than they would have been if you just let him be."

In a sense, it was easier when Elijah shouted. Then he could just shout back. Ben stood still, hands still in his hair as he took in Elijah's words. Then he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed and put his elbows on his knees. He looked down at his hands.
"He's a thief, Elijah. And I'm not even talking about petty pickpocketing, that might get him a week in a cell and a fine. The amount of money Rose found... And he's done it again. He admitted it was stolen. What am I to do? Turn him in? He ought to go to prison. It's a wicked thing. But am I not to try to save my son? Get him off that path he's goin' down. So I give him a whippin' instead, and that was mercy and I hope it'll deter him in the future. But he does it again..." He shook his head.

Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Of course you should try to save him. Perhaps talk to him, ask why he feels he has to steal or what he's using the money for? Ask him what you can do to help him so he doesn't think this is the only way. Clearly attacking him isn't stopping. It might be driving him towards wherever he is going with this. None of us want Simon to go to jail. "

Ben looked up at the young man frustrated. "Ye think I haven't tried talking to him? From the moment his behaviour started getting worse, I was trying to talk to 'im. I was tellin' 'im he needs to act right. That I love him and I want 'im to be well. I was tryin' to understand what was goin' on with him. Why he was acting the way he was. Why he was withdrawin' from all who love him and actin' like he wasn't part of this family. You have no idea how badly I wanted to understand why he was actin' like that." He looked up at the ceiling in desperate frustration and balled his first. "But he just grows silent, or walks away, or gets rude. I'd be with him on the boat all day, trying to talk to him, asking, begging, commanding him to talk to me. But he just stays silent." He shook his head and frowned angrily. "It was only worse if I tried to talk to him. He'd go out drinkin' in the evening and return home actin' like a fool. I can't get through to him anymore, Elijah. I can see som't is wrong with him. I can see..." His voice broke and he steadied himself, rubbing his face with his hands, before he looked up at the constable. "He's..." he shook his head. "I can't deal with him anymore."

Elijah didn't know. He knew Simon wanted to keep so much a secret, but he thought he had told him about York or getting out and that was what had sparred most of this fighting. "I am sorry, I didn't know.. But it still didn't mean for you to hit him. Even if he is being difficult, I still believe violence doesn't bring answers. I don't know why he hasn't talked to you." He knew why he couldn't tell him everything. "I can understand you're frustrated. There's still other ways. I believe in my heart there is always another way."

"Well, I'd love to hear your ways." Ben muttered bitterly. "A hidin' at least keeps 'im in line for a while. Talking won't do that."

Elijah sighed and frowned. "Patience wouldn't hurt. Don't make him feel like you think he is a criminal. Look,I am going to talk to him and I am going to figure out what is going on. But I am serious, Ben. Never hit him again. Don't hit any of your kids. I know it's the easiest option sometimes when things are out of hand, but don't. " He turned towards the door to go.

Ben opened his mouth to argue with that. Simon was a criminal after all. But he stopped himself when he realized the constable was about to leave. He rubbed his lips. "Tell him..." he suddenly spoke up, before Elijah went out the door. He struggled to find the right words. "I shouldn't 'ave... I know I went too far..." he finally admitted. "But he needs to stop."

Elijah glanced at him over his shoulder , "I'll talk to him." He turned and closed the door behind him. He looked for the children to apologize for what happened so they could return inside. There was a small worry though that Simon wouldn't be there when he got back to his place.

It was cold in the yard. Alice and Rose were there, but the boys were not. The girls got up and looked at Elijah scared.
Rose rushed over. "Elijah, please don't arrest 'im. 'E didn't mean harm and Simon did provoke 'im!" she begged.