Alice was hardly aware of her surroundings or of the people watching. But she pulled back a little at last and tried to dry her tears when her cousin spoke.

It was better. That was what her father had said too. It was better. It was responsible. She'd be selfish if she didn't. Because it was better than potentially tipping her family into the workhouse if they fell on hard times. It was better because she had put herself into this situation, and had mercifully been offered an improvement of her conditions.

How was she to argue with that? She knew it was true, and yet admitting that only made her want to curl up even more.

But she nodded quietly and continued to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm sorry. Ye'r right. I ought to be grateful," she said weakly.

She couldn't just curl up here in the middle of the street.