No, indeed, he was a stranger, as his name - Asha - had made clear. She did not have the means to double-check her handiwork as he thanked her, but it might at least hold until he found some light; at the Three Broomsticks, if the skies did not clear beforehand.
She hummed in brief surprise when he asked if he could help her in turn. Used as she was to being self-sufficient, used as she was to mothering everyone she knew, used as she was to keeping her head down, offers of help were rare occurrences. But not ill-received; she smiled gratefully, though he wouldn't see it.
Perhaps he would hear it, a little, in her voice, as she answered serenely: "Oh, The Three Broomsticks! I'm sure we can manage getting there - and that'll be a help to me, as it's part of the way home already." This was not, strictly speaking, entirely true, given the Three Broomsticks was on the High Street, just as they were now, and she and Fred much further out in the slums. But Sarah would not thank herself for dragging the poor man all the way out there in this darkness - after she had shattered his camera and all! - out of kindness or chivalry, so she would manage perfectly well alone.
In any case, she chuckled lightly at his last remark. "No, I don't suppose we did. I've not seen a day like this in some time," she joked mildly - or ever - because it was not much of a day any more (although she suspected Cassie had probably foreseen it along with the fog). "But perhaps the sun will be out again by the time we're at the Broomsticks," Sarah added optimistically.
She hummed in brief surprise when he asked if he could help her in turn. Used as she was to being self-sufficient, used as she was to mothering everyone she knew, used as she was to keeping her head down, offers of help were rare occurrences. But not ill-received; she smiled gratefully, though he wouldn't see it.
Perhaps he would hear it, a little, in her voice, as she answered serenely: "Oh, The Three Broomsticks! I'm sure we can manage getting there - and that'll be a help to me, as it's part of the way home already." This was not, strictly speaking, entirely true, given the Three Broomsticks was on the High Street, just as they were now, and she and Fred much further out in the slums. But Sarah would not thank herself for dragging the poor man all the way out there in this darkness - after she had shattered his camera and all! - out of kindness or chivalry, so she would manage perfectly well alone.
In any case, she chuckled lightly at his last remark. "No, I don't suppose we did. I've not seen a day like this in some time," she joked mildly - or ever - because it was not much of a day any more (although she suspected Cassie had probably foreseen it along with the fog). "But perhaps the sun will be out again by the time we're at the Broomsticks," Sarah added optimistically.
