Pearl was not feeling well.. she had kept to herself for that reason as she fought a bugger of the augh, a cold. She sniffled putifully into a handkerchief as she debated on asking for help to get a hot bath to sooth her muscles that ached and help rid her of it sooner. For the momrnt, however, she was not moving.

She fell asleep without even realizing it.

Joe fumbled with the keys in the lock and pushed open the front door with little care or delicacy. Smelling of wood, ash, wet wool, and leather, he looked and felt more like a young boy who had been out playing. Then his eyes latched onto the recumbent form of Pearl sleeping and he froze, suddenly fully conscious of noise. He looked at the crown of her head and his eyes carried on, down the lythe expanse of her - that was not for boys. He silently smirked. She was his wife. Taking a risk, he knelt down and tenderly kissed the tress of curls.

She did not stir right away, though a large sniffle was given and a cough or two. She opened her eyes after that of course and smiled exhaustedly at him. "You are home..." She said in a nasally voice before sneezing into the hanky. She situated herself and said, "There is something I need to tell you, would you sit with me, my love?"

"Oh?" Joe answered interest piqued. He shed his heavy woolen jacket, exposing a plain collarless shirt and braces. He was a man at home, entitled to a certain state of undress. "What is it?"

"I've been to a doctor," she said with her voice cracking some. She took his hand and pet the top of it, clearly nervous. A shiddering breath was had before she looked at him.

"I am to have your child, Joe. It's so soon and it frightens me. I feel rather taxed regardless of these sniffles." Pearl let out another breath as if to keep herself calm.

Joe did a passable impression of a cow in the last seconds of its life before being struck by a steam engine of the North Eastern Railway.

"Da'll box me into the twentieth century!" He blurted, his fears tumbling out, "Who knows about it, besides me?"

"Just ma, and my busom friend, Rose... Ma was very kind about it even though this was very sudden and Rose and I seem to have gotten closer... She is scared too, but I don't think it has anything to do with a child." While she paused, ut was short lived. "And Da... Well, he has been kind too. I know I have never felt as though my own family loved me... And they love you dearly, darling husband." She smoothed at his shirt, smiling a little.

"We have weathered worse," she said softly. "We will do what we must, Joe, and strive to be good people. You already do so much good..." She paused to sneeze again and gave a groan...

"If I wasn't ailing, I would kiss you. Perhaps we should discuss that money further with your parents, that would go a long way to making da proud, I'd think. After all, I would be helping them too. But I would like to rest for now. I wonder if Ma has made soup today. I can smell a little and it smells like the kitchen back at the manor. I sat with the servants for company, much to my mother's disdain."

"And... I am going to have to face my father. I know it might seem ill advised, but I want him to find out from me, not the world."