Yes she was beautiful, of course she was beautiful, but what did beauty matter in the end? Beauty was temporary; physical beauty faded over time, it was the kindness of her heart that he loved, the warmth of their friendship. Just as he had begun to think along that path she looked at him, one eyebrow raised and said "You're rather a mystery today, Mr. Carson."

"What do you mean?"

"You've hardly said a word since we came out of the water."

"Haven't I? I suppose I'm a bit wrapped up in my thoughts today."

"Thoughts of what, may I ask?"

He took a few seconds to figure out how to phrase his thoughts. "You and I..." he began "are rather good friends… aren't we, Mrs. Hughes?" He looked at her face when he spoke, and the smile that spread across it proved his previous train of thought to be rather ill-supported. If beauty faded with age and if, as she had said, they were both "getting on" then she should be somewhat less of a pleasure to behold by now, but that was not the situation as he saw it. Perhaps beauty wasn't important in love, but in the case of his love beauty was certainly extremely present.

"I daresay we are, Mr. Carson" He could hear the lightness in her tone; she was thinking it was a silly thing to remark on. He was sure it sounded that way, but he wasn't sure how to proceed, he was thinking of all of the very thoughtful things she had done for him in the time they had been acquainted, even the things he-at the time-wished she had not done, but had turned out so well. The most recent example, proving again that she usually knew what was best (far better than he did anyway) being what she had done for Grigg, and for himself …with Alice.

"You've been rather a better friend to me than I have been you lately, and I can't help but feel that…" he stopped walking, and she looked at him, silently encouraging him to finish his sentence "…I can't help but think that I don't deserve you, Mrs. Hughes." at that she looked surprised and incredulous.

"My my" she smiled "I can't say I haven't had that thought myself, Mr. Carson." And she continued strolling, knowing full well he would follow "And yet you have me" she looked up at him as they strolled "I would venture so far as to say that you and I are quite stuck with one another for the rest of our days, so long as neither of us tries to leave again." She teased.

"Is that really how you feel? Stuck with me?"