That took Anne by surprise. She stood there helplessly for a moment, watching the woman who had seemed so strong break down in tears. Then she sat down beside her and hugged her. "Oh, Mrs. Blacke. Don't worry. I'm certain Joe will come back. He wouldn't do owt ta 'urt ye. Our Simon used to stay out all night, but 'e always came back..." Then she suddenly remembered that comparing Joe to a convicted and hanged murderer was not very comforting. "Not that Joe is at all like 'im."

Lottie smiled weakly through the fog of tears at her young houseguest. Even if comparisons were off, the thought at the heart of them was pure. Lottie wanted to give the girl a hug, the way she would do with Kate, but Anne wasn't hers and might be uncomfortable for her

"It's a lovely thought, dear. Thank you fer the comfort."

Anne smiled at her. "Shall I go down and make ye some tea?"

"Tea'd be lovely."

Anne gave her another smile and went downstairs into the kitchen. She was almost finished when Kate returned from school.

"Anne! How lovely to see you!"

A minute later or so, the two girls came up with three cups of tea, and biscuits Kate had added.

"How are ye feelin', ma?" asked Kate. While the two girls were talking in the kitchen she had already been informed that Joe was still missing, so she refrained from asking about him.

"Thank ye girls. Yer both very kind." Lottie took a sip of the tea that was offered her "Kate, yer friend Anne will be spendin' the night with us, so be a good host."

"Aye, she told me," Kate said. Anne had told her there was trouble at home. Then Kate had told her there was trouble in her home as well. "I have to prepare my object lesson for tomorrow. But Anne, you can help me."

"Oh, I wouldn't be any good at it," said Anne shyly.

"Well, ye can play my student, c'mon."

And soon the girls had disappeared into Kate's room.

Just before it was time to eat, Ben returned, with a good amount of drink in his system, and feeling much better. He went into the kitchen and sat down. "That boy 'ome yet?"

Lottie was back in the kitchen, fixing tea.

"No sign of him yet." Lottie stopped stirring the pot physically, "Anne just told me she spoke ta someone who saw Joe and Pearl Carrington on the street yesterday, but nowt else." she finished stirring the pot metaphorically.

Bill swore quietly, but it did all seem to matter less now. "Well, I tried that young lady's cottage yesterday - no this mornin', and there was nobody there. Could be 'e's at that manor...?"