Nettie kept her head down but didn't want him to think she was rude. She brought her head up and her eyes were glistening with unfallen tears but her cheeks had pinkened from the attempts to resist crying.

"Of course I'm ok. My friends are good, they rarely have a bad day. I was even thinking of inviting them to Whitby to see the place. I even met a boy in town." She finally admitted but her voice cracked.

She reached out and slapped his arm lightly. "It's you I worry about! You are slipping away from me. I'm sorry I embarrass you, uncle. I just want to stay close and help you but I don't know how any more. But if I'm a burden I can leave you alone. The last thing I ever wanted was to be a problem for you." She finally admitted. Nettie was terrible at keeping things from him.