Elijah frowned and sighed. "Fine. If he doesn't stick to it, I'll marry her. Fair?" He was going to drag that boy to fishing with Ben if the kid tried to let him down. He was going to hope the boy really wanted to marry her like he seemed to. Or do it to spite him if Elijah pretended he wanted to perhaps?

Ben frowned. He thought. "No offense Elijah, but Tobias would marry her because it would actually suit both of them. It's probably not my place to tell you, but... he can't have children. Marrying her and claiming the child would have a benefit for him too, and that would give Alice a better position in the marriage. It would give them a shared interest in the marriage. I've asked you to marry her because you love her and care for her. Not because you lost some bloody bet!" He looked at the constable angrily.

Elijah frowned. He hadn't meant it like that. He was just thinking at the moment that he believed she had options. He realized a moment later he was not thinking clearly. Thank god he didn't take him up on the offer. "That's fair, but I still think you are rushing and I don't like the idea of her being so far and something going wrong. She might only be two hours away but you won't hear from her unless someone comes by. And I still wish she did marry someone for love. I still haven't heard once what she really wanted."

"It's too late to marry for love." Ben said. "Of course this proposal, so rushed, would have been ridiculous if she weren't pregnant. Tobias himself told me he would never have dared to propose such a thing if it weren't for her situation. But we're dealing with this situation, Elijah, not another. We both want what's best for Alice." He looked at his daughter. "We proposed that she would take time, to make up her mind. But she accepted instantly."

Elijah shook his head. "She feels in a corner with no other choice. She has no life anymore of her own. All because no one taught her she could get pregnant! The girl thought she was just doing something to please a boy she thought she'd be married. She certainly didn't mean to have a child and no amount of regrets or sorry could make it up to her. But I realize I'm talking to a wall. I can't change your mind, she doesn't want to speak up because you're angry enough as it is." He stood up from the chair. "I hope this turns out better than all your other attempts to 'fix' your children's situations when things turn sour. Thank God Rose doesn't live here any more. Though clearly your other children are so scared and nervous to argue with you, I am literally afraid what will happen to them when you're gone. They won't know how to make their own decisions, but that's how you've always wanted it." He shook his head angrily and grabbed his coat to leave.

Alice began to cry as Elijah described her situation, and Ben put an arm around her. But he froze when he heard Elijah's words directed towards him. Then suddenly he got up. "Get out!" he said. Even though the man was already leaving. Ben was shaking. His children weren't frightened of him.

"Believe me, I'm already leaving!" He shouted at him and stormed out. He was so upset he was shaking.

Tobias was in the yard. As were the children. They looked at Elijah storming by.

"Elijah!" Tobias called after him.

Bram ran after Elijah.

Elijah spun on his heels to face the man and children."I am sorry, but I am going." He looked to the kids. "I hope you kids can get strong. You need to be strong having THAT MAN as a father!" He pointed to the house and shook his head as he turned and continued walking quickly away.

Bram stopped, looked shocked, and then pouted.

Tobias looked at the children, and then up at the door.