"This flies in the face of our very being!" the preacher roared at his son. Ebenezer ignored his father, concentrating instead on running the finely honed razor across his jaw. There was no denying that this was as far from custom as he could allow, but it was still all very legal, even if his Praise-God Stone saw it otherwise. "The judge is her guardian," his father continued in a rant, "He has not given his permission for this. You barely know her, you do not love her, she does not love you! And age! I did not agree with her father's wish for her to marry so young, but you! You are scarcely that much older! And are you aware that she could well face fines for defying her legal guardian in this! And once wed it is a done matter, not unless she can not bear children to term!"

Ebenezer shrugged as though to finally acknowledge his father's point. Wiping away the last of the soap, he glanced over his shoulder at where his stood, balancing his weight upon the two canes. "She does not love Enoch Mayhew any more than I. Less even, I wager. And so this marriage will have more tenderness in it than she has experienced so far.." He set aside the town to turn towards his father calmly. "Did you know he beats her?"

The preacher frowned and muttered something beneath his breathe. "Oh, so you do know!" triumphed his son. "It is not even Enoch's house! It is Judge Mayhew's! If anyone had the right to discipline her, it would be the father and not the son! Enoch acts as though they are already wed in every manner save the main. Well. I. Will. Not. Stand it! You worry on whether or not we love each other. Did her father give any such consideration? Or Judge Mayhew? Call it then a Christian love to save her from the beatings that no one, no one! Has attempted to succor her from."

Falling into a chair, the Reverend Stone set aside his canes to wring his hands together. "There will be trouble, Ebenezer. You could well split our congregation."

Now Ebenezer's temper was up, his face reddening in anger as he snatched his coat and hat from the bed. He heard the knock upon the door but was not content in leaving without the final word in this, his voice quite clearly heard through the door. "Are the feelings of the congregation of a higher value to God than the abuse of a girl who has done nothing?! Shall we condemn her to suffer because of her fortunes, leaving her to rot so as to avoid trouble?! Yes, father, I will admit it. I have my own reasons for wanting this marriage. I know the sins within my heart far better than you might ever know, and by God's mercy than you ever will know! That does not waiver the fact that the right and Christian thing to do is to get her out of that house! Marriage solves a number of problems for both her and I. So I pray you, father. Will you stand as witness with your blessing?"

His father ruminated. "Companionship. Harmony. Fulfillment. Security. These are the tenants upon which our marriages are based." He looked up to his son sharply. "Will you hold to these principles, Ebenezer? Will you try to learn to love one another?"

These was no hesitation. He could not allow himself to hesitate, not if he was going to get his sire's consent to all of this. Nor was it a hard thing for him to promise; while he did not love Mirabella, nor she him, how could he not at least make the attempt. That he knew little of wooing or courtship was another matter. "Yes, father. I will try!"

Reverend Stone sighed, then flicked his hands towards the doorway. "Go. Answer the door and bring her hence."

Ebenezer nodded sharply in thanks to the old man before hurrying towards the door. He opened the door swiftly and smiled to see her there waiting. There was something so... innocent... about her, an aspect to her charm that made this entire scheme all the more appealing. He wondered what it would take a bring a flush to that heavenly face. The smile faded when he saw the bruises. Enoch had not let her go without a fight, which meant there would be more of a fight to come. The judge's son was far taller and stronger than the preacher's son, a physical threat that could not be ignored. Ebenezer, however, had two things that Enoch did not: intelligence and... experience. As though to try and comfort her, he raised his hand much as he had the last night, slowly, gently, only this time he allowed his fingertips to touch her cheek, tracking the line of the bruise. He sighed, extending his hand to her. "My father wishes to see you ere we go, Mirabella."