Pearl had made herself as invisible as she could in the weeks since her abduction by her brother. The lump on her head was finally starting to ebb, her head still hurt some though. Other than that part, she had no wish to anger her in-laws again with her speaking to them. The only person she really spoke to was Joe and even then, she was quiet and withdrawn, but who wouldn't be after being taken by force by a family that didn't actually want her around other than to save THEIR reputations?

While everyone else was gone, Kate at school more than likely, Bill also doing his Job, and Lottie probably marketing for household essentials and supper for that night, she finally ventured out of hiding, finally hungry enough to actually take care of her own needs without someone else being there with either concern or disgust, looking fresh, though pale, in one of the day dresses that she had not sold since leaving the cheery house that she could no longer afford after being cut off. The dress was the one she wore most frequently in the kitchen so it was a bit worn compared to the vast majority of her wardrobe and therefore unsuitable for selling.

She helped herself to some tea, though only brewed enough for herself so a whole pot wouldn't go to waste, also feeling some chagrin for doing it now that she'd had plenty of time to reflect on how that argument could have gone much better if she had not intruded and made tea with their dishes in their house. She wasn't going to take any food unless she asked, but the tea was something she needed at that moment and because she was the only one present, she couldn't ask. She would have to wait for food, she wasn't about to intrude more than she had to. The tea would at least ease the little bit of hunger pain she felt in the meantime.

After she wiped up any stray mess while her tea had a chance to cool a little and steep, she took the cup and saucer to the table and sat down heavily, then began to weep into the cup bitterly. She had not let herself cry in such a way since the house was crowded most of the time and she could not yet face the outside world.

Lottie eventually returned home with makings of supper and other necessaries for the house. She had been pursuded to try a new brand of soap flake for the washing, 'the best flakes for the whitest whites ever' or so the box claimed. She had not been delayed by participating in street gossip, after all her family was the cause of the juicest gossip on Osway Street in forever. Lottie herself had been damned by her own action or inaction, forced to run the gauntlet of knowing stares while no one actually said anything to her.

Closing the front door, she soothed her soul by humming a gentle tune. Let them chatter... Was it a long forgotten church hymn, one of her father's old sea shanties, or music hall ditty? Lottie didn't know but it calmed her. She pulled the shawl roughly off her head, letting the fabric fall about her shoulders, and stepped into the kitchen. The sight of her daughter in law sobbing into her tea killed the song dead. Lottie went into instant mothering mode.

It didn't matter that her son had been a cod-brained clot and run off and gotten married on a whim without asking her first. Lottie and Bill had been young too once. Not to mention, the clucking neighbours; everyone of them had their own deep shames. They just hadn't been splashed on page 12 of the gazette. At least Joe had picked a decent girl. Clean, decent, honest, friendly, and pretty too. Many men did a lot worse. These two didn't deserve the scorn the town was heaping on them, Pearl in particular.

"Oh no! What's wrong, dear? What's happened?" Lottie hurried to join her.

The unexpected concern from Lottie shocked her and she had sort of a moment where she stiffened and recoiled. If Lottie knew the sheer amount of hurt her family put her through, she'd probably beat the hell out of people with that rolling pin she brandished at times.

She quickly turned her face away and tried to wipe at her tears as if Lottie had not seen them, which wasn't from clear thinking at all. And then she broke down again and sobbed so brokenheartedly that it was palpable. "I'm... s... sorry... I-hi brought shame to you-hour family. It's... It;s all-hall my-hy fault. I didn't m-mean t-to h-hurt anyone." And then she pressed her knuckles to her mouth to stifle those sobs that shook her so violently at the moment.

She had always felt the emotions of others, even back when she and Hannah Hawksfield were messing around as girls. The stronger the feeling, the more Lottie was moved in her heart. Lottie moved instinctively, her big wide arms enveloping Pearl. She might not be this girl's natural mother, but Pearl had joined her family, and that meant Pearl became a daughter. Another girl in need of mothering. "Sssshhh, It'll be ok. Give me yer tears." Lottie said softly, gently stroking Pearl's hair. It was dark, curly, and slightly scented. Oh what nice soap she must use.

It was a strange feeling to be given any kind of affection by a motherly figure that wasn't her nanny. She was stiff at first, unyielding to the embrace. But then she seemed to just... melt against her mother in law and she cried her heart out for quite some time without words. Hell, the tea in her cup she had not wanted to waste was tepid before she even finished crying. It was probably about a half an hour before the sobs subsided and she just kind of rested her head on Lottie's shoulder.

She gave a shuddering breath and then finally eased herself away so she could sit back and take some deep breaths. She still didn't talk, she simply picked up the cool tea and didn't even curl her lips at the unpleasantry of it no longer being hot. "I am sorry to have taken the liberty of making some tea. I was feeling hungry but I didn't want to eat your food without your permission and thought that a cup of tea would ease the hunger pains until you got home."

She sniffled, cradling the cup and finally meeting Lottie's eyes. The girl was genuinely heartbroken over the things that had happened over the last several months since meeting Joe. "You have to know that I love your son very much. We didn't mean to fall in love, it just happened. It's my fault that he lost his job, it's my fault that there is scandal... I shouldn't have gone to confront my brother as I did... But I couldn't let him hurt more people knowing he was the monster he was."

Pearl scoffed at herself and swallowed heavily. "Now my father doesn't even want me. My mother always seemed to hate me and I never felt like she wanted me.... And most of my siblings... They just... always treated me like the odd one out. I came home from school when I wanted to stay gone, then I met Joe and he was everything my family wasn't."

She gave a shuddering breath.

"He came to me and was the only one in this world at that moment that made me feel like somebody cared about me. He didn't mean any harm in trying to comfort me and my brother... Well, he's such a vindictive man sometimes and I wonder how I even share blood with him." She shook her head, "I don't understand what I did to them all to make them hate me so before Joe even came into my life. I don't understand why I'm not loved by my own mother."

It was a strange feeling to be given any kind of affection by a motherly figure that wasn't her nanny. She was stiff at first, unyielding to the embrace. But then she seemed to just... melt against her mother in law and she cried her heart out for quite some time without words. Hell, the tea in her cup she had not wanted to waste was tepid before she even finished crying. It was probably about a half an hour before the sobs subsided and she just kind of rested her head on Lottie's shoulder.

She gave a shuddering breath and then finally eased herself away so she could sit back and take some deep breaths. She still didn't talk, she simply picked up the cool tea and didn't even curl her lips at the unpleasantry of it no longer being hot. "I am sorry to have taken the liberty of making some tea. I was feeling hungry but I didn't want to eat your food without your permission and thought that a cup of tea would ease the hunger pains until you got home."

She sniffled, cradling the cup and finally meeting Lottie's eyes. The girl was genuinely heartbroken over the things that had happened over the last several months since meeting Joe. "You have to know that I love your son very much. We didn't mean to fall in love, it just happened. It's my fault that he lost his job, it's my fault that there is scandal... I shouldn't have gone to confront my brother as I did... But I couldn't let him hurt more people knowing he was the monster he was."

Pearl scoffed at herself and swallowed heavily. "Now my father doesn't even want me. My mother always seemed to hate me and I never felt like she wanted me.... And most of my siblings... They just... always treated me like the odd one out. I came home from school when I wanted to stay gone, then I met Joe and he was everything my family wasn't."

She gave a shuddering breath.

"He came to me and was the only one in this world at that moment that made me feel like somebody cared about me. He didn't mean any harm in trying to comfort me and my brother... Well, he's such a vindictive man sometimes and I wonder how I even share blood with him." She shook her head, "I don't understand what I did to them all to make them hate me so before Joe even came into my life. I don't understand why I'm not loved by my own mother."

Lottie exhaled hard as she stared at the expectant eyes of youth looking for the wisdom of age.  But there was only silence. A silence that grew only wider. 

Lottie had an education from the school of life, so knew no pretty words to fill a gap wide enough to drive a horse tram through. 

How could she comfort a woman grappling with the pain of being raised poorly?  Hating yer children was a sin!  How could Lottie lay bare the effects of being 'mothered' a woman who should have just kept to buying and appreciating new dresses instead of birthing and ignoring children like they were unfashionable clothes in a wardrobe. 

"I don't know dear. Some women aren't suited for families. I am glad ye ave found Joe. At times he can be a clot, but he's a kind one. Ye will have ta start yer own family, and give love that way.

She sighed deeply, meeting Lottie's gaze. Tears still clung to her lashes, suspended there like a crystal on a pendant necklace. The young missus was calm again after that much needed cry. She was exhausted. "I know I would never treat my children the way she treated me. Like I was some burden," said in a ragged and somewhat nasaly tone. Added to that, she hadn't even been paying attention to her body otherwise. It dawned on her that she wasn't on her cycle yet. She didn't say anything though, she just went a shade paler than she already was and looked down into her cup.

It didn't mean anything, did it? It was only a few days late, right? Right. She had been under a lot of stress, after all, it could have been just that. Chaos was still afoot. She had contributed to it, wasn't exactly clear of blame. She felt the guilt eat at her at how the events had played out but the fact of the matter was that what was done was done.

Lottie sighed deeply at the heavy feelings fallen on shoulders so young. Lottie had been about Pearl's age when she had been similarly encumbered by a youthful indiscretion. No. Now wasn't the time to go digging that old thing up. Nevertheless, the Blacke matriarch well remembered the weight of the burden of shame. It didn't get much lighter the longer it was carried.

"Come along, dear. Let's get ye some fresh tea. This is probably cold." Lottie took the teacup away and busied herself with the creation of a fresh pot. "So, eh. How are ye two fairing? I'm sure pennies are important." Lottie couldn't escape the elephant in the room that Pearl had been raised in money and her marriage to Joe had suddenly snapped the connection to wealth and privledge.

"I've sold most of my gowns," she murmured, not bothered by the question. Money really didn't matter to her other than to perhaps, get a home of their own so they weren't underfoot too much longer in a very full house. "I have kept the poorer gowns and one good one for Sunday best. I have no need of those anymore." She gave a shrug. "I think we have enough that we could soon find a home of our own."

"I'm sorry ye've had to sell yer wardrobe. I know how much ye young girls like pretty frocks. I know I had an eye on them when I was yer age. Not that I want ta see the back of ye, but hopefully you'll be able to get into a 'ouse." She made a note to go through her things later and see if there were dresses once worn by slender Lottie that could be restyled and gifted.

The older woman gazed up at the ceiling of the kitchen grimly. This house had belonged to the elderly mother of one of the town's bank managers. Lottie had been a housekeeper of sorts in her final years. When the lady died, as a token of goodwill her son arranged favourable terms for Bill to purchase the house for his growing family. Despite Lottie doing the hard work, but then she had the woe of not being born a man.