"Very lonely," she replied and then sighed, "Nay, that part wasn't on purpose. Ye have been gone quite a bit and whenever ye are here, I hardly see ye. I wasn't sneaking around." And then her eyes widened, "Ye don't have to take me clock! I just said I intended for ye to meet him! Give it back, Pony McBride. Ye have no room to speak on sneaking about, ye scoundrel. People have seen ye with a woman and ye have never once came ta me and said anything. Hah, so ye cannot take me clock for me doing what ye do. Furthermore, ye leave the babes out of it. They are taken well care of and ye well know it. Check fer yerself." She was mad.

Pony frowned more at her. "Woman!?" He spoke as if he had no clue, but he knew exactly who she meant. "There is nothing serious between us, she is an aristocrat and I have been hoping to get her to buy some of my stock. I haven't done anything scandalous with her AND.." He made sure to emphasize it. "I have barely seen her since you had the children. I've been riding poor Jenny four hours back and forth outside the town so that you wouldn't get caught up in my business! Since you decided to settle your roots here, I have been trying to keep you out of it so that you wouldn't have any trouble. That makes me the bad guy, doesn't it. We work to the bone and you get mad because you assumed things and I didn't want to spend more time than necessary because I am trying to be here for you even if you don't believe it!"

He stepped back and lifted the clock high above her reach. "Don't! I am merely taking it because it isn't a clock to you anymore. It's a love letter that reminds you of him every time you see it. Be happy I'm not smashing it right here on the ground. I will let you have it back when I approve of him." His green eyes flared at her as she tried to make this about her ability to take care of the children. "Oh I do believe they are alright. I'd hope you hadn't lost your mind and let them be neglected, even if its the sweet lady next door doing more than her fair share of the work!'

She gasped, "What the deuce, Pony?! I don't put me nose in your business the way ye do to me. I don't even know what ye're doing more than half the time because ye keep it to yerself. And do I ask? Nay. But here ye come and get angry with me and ye assume the worst of the situation and say mean things that aren't true because ye gotta stick YER nose into it." She almost forgot herself and raised her voice, but remembered the babes were asleep after she had nursed them. "Stop talking about me children now, they have nothing to do with this. They are innocent babes." The warning in her voice was approaching on mama bear, and very seriously at that.

"I didn't bring up Pearl or my business, you did. Trying to make me look like I am messing around like you. He pushed the clock into her hands.

"I know the children have nothing to do with this. They can't help what their mother is up to. But fine. You want me out of your business, I won't question it. You know how I feel and you always ignore it and do whatever you like. I won't bother trying to care. I hoped we could start over but you clearly don't change. So you figure out things for yourself now and don't bother me about it."

He turned on his feet quickly to step out. "Why do I try to be compassionate! You are impossible and stupid."

"I didn't even know her name, Pony! I said 'a woman' because I didn't ask for details on simple rumors. In reality, I would never push ye to tell me about her, I only brought her up because ye're so quick to judge me for doin' the same thing. Nothin' improper happened, so ye know! It's awfully funny that ye can dish it out but ye can't take it." She took the clock and placed it back on the mantle where it belonged, then whirled around as he was getting ready to leave while ranting and raving about her being stupid. "Ye take that back, Pony McBride! I am not stupid. And stop actin' like I am a whore or somethin simply fer spending time with a man. I do want yer acceptance of things but that doesn't mean I appreciate ye yellin' at me."

Pony shook his head. "How is it the same thing?! Have I said anything about loving her? No, I've never loved anyone and I won't. The only person I genuinely cared about and wanted to protect was my sister." He certainly knew there was no point in truly feeling for Pearl as he couldn't even see her without it being in secret like he was something to be ashamed of. He could understand her side of it though.

" Clearly, i shouldn't have bothered because your love comes as easily as the rain with how quick you fall for men, that makes you stupid! You're right, if you were a whore you wouldn't stick to one. You fall so quick you don't even get to know a man as a friend first." He folded his arms and turned back to glare at her.

"Don't compare us, Karen. We are very different people and you remind me that more and more every day. Since you prefer to put a stranger first in your life, I don't want to see it. You never will learn and I am tired of trying. As long as that clock is on the mantle, I'll be staying in the cart. Take care of your own life the way you see fit." He turned away and put a hand to his face, the fighting was exhausting and he was too tired to even try at the moment.

This was just angering, she thought. She crossed her arms over her bosom and snapped, "Fine. Ye go sulk with Jenny. I am tired of having to fight with ye and ye're forcing me to choose between ye and a damned clock. Well, I would rather have me clock than to listen to ye condemn me, again, for every little thing I do wrong in yer eyes." She wasn't a blubbering mess like the last time they fought, she was standing up straight and looked angry enough to punch her brother in the arm or something. "And mind, don't slam me door on yer way out." She stalked closer to him and lowered her voice even more than it was, "And lastly, ye can pretend all ye want that ye can't be compared but we both know what the truth is. Now if ye'll excuse me, I probably have dirty nappies to change. But what do I know, I -neglect- my children, right?!" With that, she wibbled a little and then lifted her chin with a humph, and she stalked into the nursery, closing the door behind her.

Pony didn't think his anger could grow so much at his sister. She really didn't get it. He shouted louder so that she would hear, not caring if it woke the children or even their neighbors. "I will. Jenny is smarter than ye anyway!" He headed to his room to gather his few possessions. "I can't believe ye never seen anything wrong with fallin for a men ye just met."

He growled as he stormed pass her to leave. "Yes, ye'll be here for the children because ye don't feel like going out with a man ye barely know, or is it cause the neighbor can't watch them this late? "

He walked to the door and looked back at her door. "Ye can't tell me what ta do, especially considering you won't listen to a word I say. I wish sometimes I had left ya with da. Maybe ye'd have fallin in love with that old fool he wanted to force ya ta marry. With how flighty yer heart is, I believe it!" He stepped out and slammed the door hard behind him before getting Jenny tied back up to the cart and heading towards town.