"Hey!" Benny grabbed the old man's wrist to pull him away. "She's pregnant, isn't she? Don't shake her! And you act like I'm the problem here!."

Ben let go of her. He hadn't meant to harm her. Just to have her come back to her senses. He turned to Benny. "Well you are right now." He picked Alice's bag and put an arm around his daughter. "Come lass, we're goin' home."

Alice didn't look at Benny, but let her father lead her away passively.

Benny frowned and gave the man a rude gesture before calling out to Alice, "You always have options!"

But that barely registered. For a moment the had experienced the slightest sense than there might be other options. But now her mind had shut again, and she knew she would marry Tobias tomorrow.