She stopped and her shoulders drooped. "My words were harsh and I apologize. I am just overwhelmed and wanted nothing more than to feel like somebody knows how it feels or at least knows how to handle so much." She closed her eyes by the time she moved to immediately find a seat. She was utterly too tired, heartsick, and frightened and it was etched in her expression, her sincerity. "I just wish it didn't have to hurt so."

He was two parts. He felt sorry for her. But he was also exasperated. Her words had hurt him more than he cared to admit and he was exhausted.

But what else could he do? He sat beside her. "I never said I don't know how it feels to love, or to be heartbroken, or to grieve, or to be forced to make choices you don't want to make." And he had always felt things so strongly. When life's great waves had first crashed into him, they had completely swept him off his feet and tossed him about in every direction. In Pippa's defense, he had been quite insufferable as a teenager. The recollection of something his father had told him in those disoriented days melted the last of his anger towards Pippa.

At last propriety went out the window. He put a fatherly arm around her. "Just remember that you are good."

That broke her. She cried on his shoulder for a good while before falling into slumber, exhausted and finally able to find catharsis with one of the few people who helped her even when there were doubts. While she slept, assuming he left her to do so, a missive arrived from Tobi. In neat handwriting, it simply said that Pippa would be pleased to know that she, Tobi, and her brother's father arrived as legal counsel but that a stipend had been put into a local bank in order to help get Pippa started, and a purse of fifty pounds was offered by the messenger as well so they could take care of immediate needs, half of which was a reward that had been offered in the states and stated as much for her safety as stated in one of the several news clippings that were also in the bag. While there was no number for her wealth, the news paper clippings all said similar in that her family was among the wealthiest in the area if not the United States. Written on the top of one was, "This might help to ease her mind."
And lastly, the address of one of the nicer homes near the Carrington house was written in a more masculine hand as to where she might go once ready to see them.

He let her cry, rubbing her arm in an attempt to comfort her. The sobs became more quiet and less frequent and then she was asleep. Oh. Tristan sat there like a statue, not sure what to do now. But he wasn't unhappy.

At last he roused her enough to lead her to the examination room, also on the ground floor, where he lay her on the sofa to rest.

It was upon returning to the hallway that he received the missive. After reading it, he returned and placed the clippings, along with the letter and money next to Pippa, for her to find when she woke. Then he went upstairs to his study, sat at his desk, crumpled the half finished letter and took out a fresh sheet of white letter paper.

Dear Ms. Zimmermann,

I am pleased to inform you that Miss Danes is in good spirits and much improved in health after learning of the most recent developments and especially of your arrival. Thank you for your letter of this morning and the money to provide for Miss Danes' need, which were received in good order. Miss Danes is eager to meet with you, but still too unwell to go out in public. Would you and your companion be able to visit her at __ Flowergate this afternoon at two? I believe she would greatly benefit from seeing you in person as soon as possible.

Yours respectfully,
Tristan E. Wells