Gabriel had a housekeeper. He did not technically need to go to the market. But he wanted to be out there, visible, even if he was technically not working. One didn’t stop being a priest, Gabriel believed, and he was determined to be available and find opportunities to meet people as much as possible.
 
He was certainly visible as a priest, with his long black cassock and black saturno hat. That Dracula story had to get started somewhere.
 
The smell of fish greeted him from quite a long way off. He had only been here a few weeks but he had already learned to bear it. Some people’s homes were full of it. Gabriel walked around between the different stalls, looking for people he might recognize from church with whom he might have a chat.

Things had not been the same since she was kidnapped. She stopped going out altogether and told her father that she couldn't go back to school, which he was fine with since she didn't need the refinement as much as her eldest sister had, and she had a hard time being around people in general. Her father bade her to leave the house this time because he couldn't handle seeing her frightened the way she was. So he sent a maid with her and told her to go to market and pick out anything she wanted... anything to make her smile again.

But she wasn't smiling. She was hanging back behind her maid, who kept stopping to chatter with other people and even lowered her voice a few times to address what had happened. Pearl didn't care though. She stared off and fingered some fine fabric she didn't even want, but decided to get some for her sister anyway. "Miss Carrington?" She heard interrupting her thoughts and looked up in startlement, "Hmm?"

The maid was trying to figure out if she was alright. Pearl sighed and nodded, though it wasn't quite true. She began to walk without watching where she went, and eventually bumped into someone hard enough to hit the ground, and suddenly she was reliving the terror she felt that night in the cave. She threw her hands up in defense and said, "Please...!" When in reality, she wasn't in any danger.

Gabriel turned when someone bumped into him hard and shouted. Some people turned around to watch. He looked at the young woman on the ground, who appeared unnaturally frightened.

A lost sheep! Ahem... a person in need!

He crouched down. "I'm so sorry about that," he said, even though she had bumped into him. "Are you alright, miss?"

She slowly lowered her arms and looked up... It wasn't the face of the drunk man, but a more kindly face. Her eyes were wide and she flushed red, "I-I'm sorry..." She scrambled to her feet and darted away from the gaping people, her maid following behind after picking up the overturned baskets left in her Mistress' wake... Though not before casting a glance to the man who only stopped to ask after, a sad one that spoke volumes.

The maid found her only paces away, pressed to the wall of a building and she tried to soothe her, "Oh, Mistress, ye mustn't be so hard on yerself. Ye've had a fright when that man took ye captive like that and it's normal to fear others for a time." It was said loud enough that if he followed, he would walk up on her saying it.

Gabriel rose as the girl did and then the maid approached. Her words shocked him, leaving Gabriel to wonder once again at the things he had witnessed and heard of in this town. Before coming here, he had been a priest in a tiny village, where the biggest news was that Miss Wakefield was engaged to Mr. Adams, and Mrs. Green had stolen Mrs. Price's chicken. "I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, miss..." he said in a startled tone.

"It's fine. I'm fine." she said low and slow, but didn't meet his eyes at first. "I survived... i didn't mean to... bump into you. I was woolgathering, I'm afraid." she continued. It was true enough. She was pretty, though not a classic beauty, with big brown eyes that were normally so filled with life. But today they were filled with something else... guard. She was guarded as she looked at him, pressing herself hard against the building.

Intuitively, Gabriel took a step back to give her some space. "You needn't worry about that. I'm glad you are safe now and have people looking out for you," he gave the maid a kind nod.

Pearl tilted her head and watched the man. She had never been shy but it seemed like she felt timid at that moment. The maid said, "I am Millie James, and this is my Mistress, Miss Pearl Carrington." Pearl shot the maid a look and then back to the man, relaxing when he took a step backwards. Her eyes drifted over him and then awareness of his looks caused pink to creep into her cheeks, especially for that fact that she had made a fool of herself in front of everyone and this man.

"Father Gabriel Richards," he introduced himself. He looked back at Pearl and noticed her blush.

Awkward.

"The new priest at St. Hilda's Catholic Church," he quickly added.

She averted her eyes, "Oh, Father... Um..." Awkward indeed. If she hadn't been so uptight at the moment, she would have felt it a shame that he chose that vocation. Well, it wasn't as if she would be interested in anyone any time soon... Not even the handsome man who escorted her home from the train station.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said and cleared her throat.