It was much further to home from the mortuary than it was from her Bible group, and it had already been dark for a few hours. Father would never let her walk this far alone after dark, but Anne was more afraid of someone she knew recognizing her than of being bothered. She didn't look as if she had money - even though she had the shillings she had earned in in her pocket - and she knew she wasn't a pretty girl. Still she walked fast and tried to stay out of sight.

Lou was on his way home for the night in his cab. It had been a long day and he was eager to have supper and converse with Maddie, whose company he'd grown fond of in the last few weeks. He noticed a girl walking down the road alone in the same direction he was headed and clicked his tongue for Kip, his horse, to stop. "Excuse me, miss?" he called to her with a warm smile. He lifted up the lantern in his hand to his face so she could see him but he didn't realize the angle made him look all but demonic to the girl. "It's dangerous in Whitby at night," he said, frowning, "and a young girl such as yourself shouldn't be wandering the streets. Can I offer you a ride home? Wouldn't cost you a penny, I'd just rather see you safe at home than alone out here."

Anne jumped when the carriage pulled up and someone addressed her. Why would someone offer her a free ride, unless they had bad intentions. Anne looked up at the man, and her gut feeling told her he was not to be trusted. She backed away, closer to the houses. "No thank you, ser..." she said, rather quietly.

Lou's expression turned more worried as he lowered the lantern, the shadows on his face softening. "Are you sure, miss?" He looked a little sad at how she seemed frightened of him. All he wanted to do was help her. She was only a girl, and although he liked to think the best of people, he knew there were many unsavory types of folk out and about this time of night.

Anne nodded. She knew she had to be polite and she didn't want to insult the stranger, but she had also heard that terrible things happened to girls who went with strangers. "I live just around the corner." Lying was also bad, but she had been doing it so much as of late that this one slipped out rather easily. She turned red.

Lou noticed the girl's blush and realized she was lying to avoid taking him up on his offer of help. "Oh. Well, alright then." He shrugged, but still didn't get going. "If you wouldn't mind giving me the address, seeing as we're heading the same direction, I'll stop by your home and let your folks know you're on your way." He raised an eyebrow at the girl. He really did just want to help. "Or do you think it's too far?"

Anne blushed deeper. "I... It's quite far ser..." she admitted. Perhaps she should just get in, so he wouldn't talk to father. She wasn't supposed to be on this side of town to begin with.

Lou nodded understandingly. "Then alright, hop in." He beckoned for her to get in and reached behind him, drawing a blanket out from a small chest on the floor of the cab. It was a cold night, and he assumed she was freezing, so he offered her the blanket and waited for her to hop in. "Your address, miss?"

She knew she shouldn't get in. But she didn't know how to keep arguing and rejecting the offer without being rude. Finally, she took the blanket and got in. She mentioned the yard, but not the number of the cottage.

Lou was pleased when she finally accepted his offer and whistled to get them going. Kip's clipping footsteps and the turning of the cab's wheels were all that was heard for a moment, then Lou, trying to think of a way to make her less uneasy, asked, "Might I ask your name, miss?" He assumed men trying to kidnap young girls likely wouldn't care what their name was and so was hoping he could ease her anxiety a bit. "And don't you worry," he added, "we'll be there in a jiffy."