"The what?" She said, looking at him confused.

Benny rubbed his neck as he tried to explain. "Its like... things being as they are. The rich getting to do whatever they want and the poor never getting to build themselves up beyond it."

"Status quo..." Rose repeated slowly. "I don't like society being a status quo!" She confessed.

Benny chuckled. "No one here does. So let's change it."

Rose bit her lip and nodded.

Then one of the young men started talking about how harsh the living conditions of the poor were, and how it led to disease and how the lack of means of production kept them in their situation.

"But we already know our lives are hard..." Rose whispered to Ben. She was less impressed than last time.

Benny leaned in to whisper back, "they know. It's about letting out anger and frustration. Forming camaraderie. Since there is no plan yet, it's good to keep the group fired up and sort of bonding."

Rose frowned. She wasn't sure she wanted to bond with most of the people here. Half of them were drunk, and the other half were of even poorer yards than hers or homeless - well... there was some overlap too.

Benny relaxed looking around. "It is really dull today isn't it?" The rather handsome leader wasn't even saying much. He loo,ed to her and nodded to the door. "Let's sneak out. I'll be back next time in case they have something."

Now that made her feel rebellious! "Alright!" she whispered, blushing, and she followed him.

Benny grinned huge at her. He ducked down a bit to not be as noticeable among the others and took her hand, slowly backing out to leave. He paused any time he thought that they'd be spotted leaving and would resume the moment it seemed clear. Quick to get out and into some fresh air.

Rose blushed deeper as he took her hand, but did not draw back. Instead, she followed him out and then chuckled.

When they managed to get free he let go of her hand to stretch out his arms. He took a deep breath and let out a woop. "Oh that was fun. but better to be out here !' He looked around then smirked at her. "Since we have some free time, let's do something fun."

Rose frowned, but she was also curious. She knew she should be wiser than hang out alone with a young man. Especially considering her prior experiences. But he seemed decent after all, and Rose had few friends. She was yearning for company. And when was the last time she had fun? "Like what?" she said.

Father would kill her if he knew.

The man shrugged. "I don't know. What do you do for fun?" He looked at her then up at the sky seeing how late it had gotten.

"Oh... I don't have much free time... I normally go home to help..." and suddenly a malicious grin crossed her face. "But when the tide is high and the wind's blowin' in from the north, me brother and I used to go to the west cliff and watched tourists on the parade get hit by waves..."

Benny was about to be disappointed, but she pulled out a rather fun and devious idea. He grinned and raised his arm to her. "Sounds delightful. After you."

Rose made her way to the cliff. "You decided to settle here, then?"

Benny found a good spot and sat upon the ground. Listening to her, he shook his head. "Just going to be here a while, the ship's gotta be repaired and all that. Might be here a year if its too bad." And depending what the captain wanted. He looked to her and chuckled, "Why? You want me around now?"

"No!" Rose defended herself, but then she realized that that sounded mean and she blushed. "I mean... I was wonderin' if its not hard to not really have a place to call home."

Benny frowned. "The sea can't be a home? The ship I call home isn't a home? I never had a home before them. I mean.. technically I did have a house I lived in, but trust me. I would never ever call it home. It was a prison."

"Im sorry..." she said quietly.

Benny grinned. "Don't be. I got out. I love the sea life, and I'm happy now. I changed my past and it gave me a lot of confidence I didn't have before. So let's watch some tourists make fools of themselves."

Rose smiled. "There's a big wave comin' there!"

Benny nodded and watched,leaning forward just alittle to watch. He grinned huge and laughed as it came in, crashing into the people and knocking some of them back. "Haha, this is fun."

Rose chuckled. She hadn't done this since Simon's arrest and it reminded her of his clear contagious laughter and how he would cheer her up when she was down. She hadn't had fun for such a long time since. Only with George, and that had all turned out fool's gold.

Benny lightly nudged her as he pointed out another wave coming, some hadn't even gotten to their feet before it was about to roll in. He laughed again and then seemed in thought. He reached into his jacket and gave her something wrapped in paper and took out something similar for himself. He unwrapped it and took a bite. "It's jerky. Try it.'

Rose looked down at it confused, but then she unwrapped it and chewed it. "Hmm. It's good!" she said.

Benny nodded and smiled. "Someone on the ship started it, saying its a great way to keep meat longer. Perfect for when it could be months before we land somewhere." He leaned back on a palm and nibbled the food.

"That's very clever." Rose said. She looked at the dried meat. "We don't eat meat a lot. Mostly fish."

Benny nodded, "We do too. But its really nice to have something a little different sometimes when we can."

Rose nodded. She nibbled the meat and looked at Benny. He was really quite different from what she had originally thought he had been like. - Well... maybe she shouldn't have hit him.

But he was still mysterious to her. A young man who lived at sea, with no family, and a dark past, and apparently not a care in the world. He seemed so different from anyone she knew.

Benny was watching the waves and people with a grin as he ate. He then felt her eyes on him and looked over. "What? Do I have something on my face?" He rubbed his face with his sleeve quickly.

Rose laughed. "No.... I was just thinkin' you're so different from anyone I know in this town."

Benny smiled and shrugged. "I am glad to be different. It's a small but cozy town, not like many places I've been to before. I guess the free life on the sea has helped me be different. I have little to hold me down."

Rose looked out over the sea. "It must be nice to be that free and see new places all the time. I really missed Whitby when I was in York and I thought I would die for t' homesickness." She frowned. "But when I came back at last... I felt trapped. Like it's too familiar. And I wanted to go away again."

Benny looked at her. "Then why don't you? I mean. Your family will always need you until they are adults and married. You'll probably be pushed aside though they still love you. So why don't you do things for yourself? Just alittle bit?"

Rose shook her head. "I'm a fishing girl... And a maid, now. But that's as far as I'll get in life. Unless I marry up the social ladder. But how likely is that?" Likely, she had once thought, in a buried past when she had been a naive child.

Benny looked surprised. "I didn't know when a girl got to a certain age she was unable to learn anything. Wow.. that is so sad. I guess that's why we don't have female doctors and scientists. " It was a joke, but he wanted her to see how silly it sounded.

Rose chuckled. "I couldn't be a doctor."

Benny shrugged. "You could be something else? Maybe an explorer. Or hunting exotic animals or treasure hunting. Those don't even need an education, just a desire for adventure."

Rose smiled at him and sadly shook her head. "But I love my family... even if they drive me mad sometimes. I think if I would leave, I would feel homesick again. Maybe I'm destined never to feel home.." She shrugged. "We're all just pilgrims passing through..."

Benny seemed deep in thought. He then grinned at her. "Hey.. how about you just go on a weekend trip somewhere? Take a train to Scotland or a boat to Wales? See something more just for a day or two?"

Rose looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "That's what the rich do."

Benny shook his head. "You can save up for it. Just a train and a very cheap place to sleep. Just to see the place. It isn't that expensive." He hadn't tried it, but he was sure.

That sounded familiar.

"I don't know..." Rose muttered quietly, drawing in on herself.

Benny laughed and patted her back. "You are fine! Just think about it. You got plenty of time. If you don't want to, no one will mind. It is your life, right?"

Rose looked at him, a bit anxiously, but then smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

Benny chuckled and hugged her shoulders with one arm and quickly let go. "Just relax. You seem nervous. Look at that." He brought her attention to the water as people knocked back in a wave and giggled eating some jerky. "This is a great time."

Rose didn't know why she suddenly felt quite emotional, but she was thankful for the distraction and giggled lightly. "Thanks..."

Benny nodded and smiled. "No sweat." He relaxed again and watched the people below.