Elijah nodded to Bram. "Sure.. if you can behave." He stared at the two.

"Can you please tell me what's going on? You know something..'

"I'm not sure..." Anne muttered. "We'll find out soon enough..."

Suddenly things clicked into place. He moved quickly and opened the front door. "Ben, are you doing what I think you're doing?!"

The three were just starting back towards the cottage, all three apparently deep in thought. "Easy, Elijah, let's all go back inside and sit down." Ben said.

Elijah frowned more and watched Alice's face for any hint what had happened as he let them in. He took a seat but clearly was waiting for them to explain themselves.

Alice sat down at the table, looking down. Tobias sat down awkwardly, looking from Alice to Ben.
"Tobias and Alice are getting married." Ben broke the news.
Silence.

Elijah sat up sharply. "What?! Is this something she agreed to or was she just told."

He looked apologetically towards Tobias, "Sorry, you've been very kind and saved her but.. you only known each other a day at most."

Immediately his attention was on Ben, "And are you alright with sending her away and perhaps not seeing her again for months if ever again.'

"Calm yourself, Elijah." Ben said, annoyed. "Don't embarrass our guest. Do you think I'd drag my daughter to the altar kicking and screaming? Alice agreed."
Tobias put a hand on Elijah's shoulder. "I know its not a usual match. But its not a usual situation."

Elijah sighed and frowned. "i'm not trying to embarrass your guest, Ben. This isn't about blowing my nose in his presence, this is about a marriage. I'm worried about her going away and only knowing how she was if she visits or someone visits her, and you know how busy you and your health."

He nodded to Tobias, "It isn't. But I am worried, for good reason. I was hoping Noah would come to make it up to Alice since he seemed like he wanted to ask her to marry him, even after a certain someone beat him in the street." He stared at Ben but said no names. "He even seemed like he was willing to ask you for work." Of course Elijah truly didn't know what he felt any more after that fight last night. He still wanted to delay these crazy decisions. He looked to Alice.

"Tell me, honestly. What do you want Alice. This is your chance to speak, I am listening."

Oh come on. They hadn't beaten the boy in the street. They had had the decency of blindfolding him and taking him to someone's home. And they had been polite enough to drop him off at the doctor's afterwards and pay the bill. They weren't ordinary street thugs.

Ben glared. "Don't mention that boy's name in the presence of my daughter."

"Noah?" Alice looked at Elijah confused, but hopeful.

"Noah had a short-lived change of heart, and he will have a change of heart tomorrow." Ben said.

"Noah is... the father?" Tobias asked uncomfortably.

The other children all looked on in silent horror.