Nat glanced at the other woman with a wide look of surprise and then gratefulness. The hope peeked back at her, then dashed with the man's words.  The batter back and forth had her holding her breath wondering who would win.

"Oh, I would be a good companion for her.  I am educated and I will remember how to behave like a proper young lady.  I remember how it was then, and my mum was quite proper."  She added that last thinking of her mother.  "I even have a dress that I found at a church charity bin.  It needs to be ironed but it looked like it would fit me."  She had gotten it about a year after arriving in Whitby when she had started thinking it would be a place to plant her roots if she could save enough to rent a place and get a proper job as a woman.

Then that last comment from Mr. Appleton made her face drop again.  "I have been honest since I came here other than being a girl and my age.  I worked hard, and showed at the school just how much I knew, though I do have my certification if you need it.  Now that you know about me, I can show it to you.  I only hid the other two things because I wasn't sure about you yet.  I was protecting myself from bad folks that I told you about hearing back on the streets."  She gave a hint of a spine.  She had it, but picked her fights and when to run off to the alleys to hide.