Elijah frowned. "Please? I'm constable, I'm sure I've heard worse."

"That's the problem, Elijah."

Elijah arched his brow. "How so?" He was clueless what the problem was until suddenly it clicked. "Wait.. cause I"m constable? Did she hurt or kill someone?"

Alice sat curled up on the bed. She was ashamed of everything she had done and feared what Elijah would do or think of her if father told her. What they had said about Simon confused her. But all of this did. She lay down, curled up, and pulled the blanket over herself.

Ben sighed and shook his head. "No..." At least she hadn't been succesful.

Elijah smiled softly. "Then you can tell me. I don't want to do anything to her, and if she isn't a danger to anyone, I am not worried."

Suddenly the door opened and Alice stood in the doorway.
"Alice!" said Ben, surprised.
"I tried to kill t' bairn. Twice!" she said. There were tears on her face, but she looked defiant.
"Alice, go back into your room!" Ben said.
But Alice lifted her chin and continued. "T' first time I stole money to buy some medicine and alcohol and I mixed it. It made me sick, but it didn't kill t' bairn. T' second time, I stole money. I went to a brothel, and I gave it to a prostitute to tell me how to get rid of the bairn. She couldn't give me any advice that I hadn't tried already. Otherwise I would. You can arrest me now. I hope you do. And I don't care for it even if they hang me."

Elijah looked shocked. He sighed and frowned as he walked over to her and gently put his hands on her arms and looked at her face. "Look at me Alice, and I ask that you give me the truth. I will not arrest you either way. Do you still want to kill it?"

Alice looked at him, thinking.
"Of course she doesn't." Ben said.
Alice looked at her father and her face hardened. "I do," she said.

Elijah frowned. "Please, why not.. consider putting it up for adoption instead? Why do you wish it dead?"He pulled her aside so she couldn't see her father. "Let me speak to Alice alone, Ben. I want to hear her out without her worrying about your feelings."