"Oh dear, I didn't realize it was time for supper," Kit exclaimed, gathering up her skirts and brushing by Nat as she exited the hut. Nat followed her to the doorway.

"You didn't say what you were running away from. Has it gone so badly here in Wethersfield?" he asked, slightly concerned. She looked up at him, then, with those wide brown eyes of hers. Nat felt a sudden jolt. Bewildered, he disguised it behind a façade of amusement.

"Certainly not," Kit answered, suddenly on the defensive. "My aunt and uncle have been very kind."

"And you've managed to stay out of the water?" He voice came out sounding superior, almost condescending, and Nat cursed in his mind. Now there was no way she would open up to him.

"As a matter of fact," she said, drawing up to look him in the eye, "I am a teacher at the dame school." At that he couldn't resist. In a sweeping bow he mocked her.

"Fancy that!" Nat said. "A schoolmistress!" It made sense to his mind, though. She seemed to take well to children, and children seemed to take well to her.

Kit didn't respond. Instead, she looked away and hurried out the door. Nat watched her go. His eyes followed her movements until she was out of sight. Sighing, for reasons he wasn't quite sure of, he turned back towards Hannah. Hannah's eyes were bright as she watched him.

"When does thee plan to tell her?" she asked, her fingers nimble on the spinning wheel. Nat frowned.

"Tell her what?" he asked, sparing a glance over his shoulder. Kit was long gone by now, but for some reason Nat wanted to make sure. Hannah chuckled.

"Does thee think me foolish? I may be old, but I am not blind," said Hannah. Nat blinked and walked over to Hannah. He sat down across from her. Was she having her delusions again?

"I'm sorry Hannah, but I honestly don't know what you're talking about." Hannah shook her head.

"No, I suppose not," she said sadly. "Young love is like that, I'm afraid. It sneaks up on you, and sometimes one doesn't realize it until it's too late." Nat nodded along, perturbed. "So then tell me, what does thee think of Kit?" Well, that, at least, was a question he could answer.

"Kit? I admire her, I suppose. She's strong, stubborn, and honest, which I admire. I think she's a bit too innocent for her own good, though. She doesn't always think through the things she says, and I think that she might offend a lot of people because of that," Nat voiced. He found he couldn't look Hannah in the eyes, so instead he stared at the wooden table. "She's different. I hope she's getting along well here." Hannah nodded.

"I'll keep an eye out for her," she reassured him. "For thee," added Hannah with a wink. Nat wasn't quite sure what she was getting at, but followed along anyway.

The rest of the evening whittled away, and soon enough Nat had to leave for the Dolphin again. He bid Hannah goodbye and followed the path to the docks. His conversation with Hannah still rang in his head.

"Does thee think me foolish? I may be old, but I am not blind." Blind to what? Nat wondered. And then, for some strange reason, an image surfaced in his mind of Kit. He found himself thinking back to when he first saw her in Hannah's hut, the look of surprise as her eyes met his. Strangely, he felt something in his chest stir, but disregarded it.

Life was a funny thing, he mused, as he whistled his way to the Dolphin.