The woman nodded.
"What?"
"WE HOPE WE FIND THEM GIRLS!"
"I wonder if Adam and the boys can help."
"I"VE ALEADY SUGGESTED THAT!"

The woman brought Elijah some bread with butter. "It ain't much, but it's fast. You best catch some sleep. I'll bring ye a quilt. We'll go see me son first thing." She left and returned with a quilt.

"Isn't it early to sleep?"
"THEN YOU"LL GET TO WATCH THE EARLY TRAINS!" She shoo'd him out of the room. "Good night, ser." And she withdrew.

Elijah was grateful for every shred of hospitality she offered. He sighed and curled up under the quilt finding sleep hard to come by and when it did fall upon him, it was troubling.

At dawn, the woman woke him up. It had stopped raining outside and the fog had cleared. "You're lucky. Let's hope this weather lasts, so you can see far. I'll go and fetch me son, now, ser. Me husband is making breakfast." She left.
A little while later the elderly man came and offered him a bowl of oatmeal. He sat down in an arm chair. "I've been a station master for forty-six years." he told Elijah.

Elijah was jumpy and did not like waiting. He wanted to leave immediately, but thought it was better to wait for help. He'd be going blind without them. He thanked the man as he took the oatmeal and looked over. He thought the woman said he wasn't really a station master, but wasn't about to say anything to dismiss it. "You are loyal to your work, sir."

"What?"

Elijah sighed and spoke much louder and clearer. "YOU ARE LOYAL TO YOUR WORK, SIR!"

The man nodded and began to eat his own breakfast. After a while the woman returned with two men and two teenage boys. "Alright. Mr. Baxter has agreed to help as well. You can ride with my son, Mark, in the direction I saw them leave. Mr. Baxter will go west. The boys will check the villages east."
There was a familiar old man's voice outside, shouting: "Alice! Anne!"

Elijah nodded then jumped at the noise. He ran to the door and looked outside. "Ben!?"

Ben looked pale and there were dark circles under his eyes.
"Elijah! The lot at the station said the girls got off here. Please tell me you've found them."

Elijah felt shaken and frowned. "Ben! You were supposed to stay home! you're still weak. I haven't, the weather was too dangerous last night, but a bunch of us are about to search. " He started to pace, feeling like his hands were shaking a little. Why did no one listen? He took a deep breath and looked back at him. "You are staying here. Do not go anywhere. We will look. Ok? Can you do that?"