Even though there were tears, it seemed he was underestimating her strength as they spoke. She was blissfully unaware of course that there was a brief comparison to girls considered tougher than her. She was about to make the toughest decision of her life. She stiffened her spine, then slowly pushed herself up and gave him a measured look. There was something about her eyes that might make him reconsider his comparison. She was just tired, for things had happened in quick succession. First, her family was murdered, which he didn't know that yet... then the murderer turned on her in a chilling threat... then she fled to England, got her job, found him, got pregnant, and was just about to make the scariest choice of her life. The men in her life owed her a little more credit than what was given.

"You don't want to marry me, though," she said flatly, "And I am cannot force you." She reached out and touched his arm. "And you probably will not if you knew just what was happening... There is more to tell you, Viktre." And then she took a deep breath.

"I'm running from the man who killed my family." And she slowly told the whole story from her perspective and pausing every now and then to give him a chance to respond.

He could not lie to her to disagree with her evaluation of his wishing to get married.  He really did not want to change the life he was making for himself there.  Then she continued and Viktre frowned and as she spoke, he pulled a chair over to sit down as she told the whole story.  His eye-widening several times, and even pausing to have her explain a word or three that he did not understand in English.  Several times hearing about the danger to her, he gave Russian curses looking ready to kill the man himself.  Hearing about the doctor and the artist assisting her to keep her safe, he nodded glad they had been there and of that personality to do so.

"Is much to eat."  He meant a lot to digest, but close enough.  "Much happen to you so little time space.  You still have job, and good friends.  This make wish was there to help then.  Fishing takes much time from land.  Not even crewmen to leave one behind then as not know you in danger.  Now, you tell these men can have one or two of the crew to help with watch over you and mladenets.  And much help take this evil man to ocean to not come back when he is found, da?"  He stated fiercely.

He kind of skirted over the marriage topic.  But then took her hand.  "Viktre not husband material.   Like women and vodka too much for this.  For fun and friendship and bed fun, da, much good.  Pip deserve good man.  But with mladenets coming that is Viktre family.  Viktre do right by you and mladenets.  I ruin you.  Mother want me have family.  Much bossy about it actually.  Papa, just shakes head and wash hands topic.  Knows man needs things and some never stop.  This is problem.  Will Viktre stop even if take wife?  Wish more for you.  Not Viktre."  He tried to explain.  She was  a sweet lovely person and great in the bed, but she was a proper lady, and he...well was not by any little bit a gentleman.  He was a rough seaman and hunter. 

He thought of Ayyen.  He was a gentleman and a former naval officer.  Perhaps Ayyen could help him learn to behave in a better way.  He snorted.  Ayyen would laugh him out the door to even ask it.  He knew Viktre much to better to even try likely.  "Pip need husband.  One way or another.  A good man.  Worth Pip and mladenets.  One of these men good for husband?  The doctor?  The artists?  Maybe Viktre can find good man for you, da?  Viktre want best situation for you."

She reached out and touched his arm again. Even though they were just friends, they'd still been intimate and she was still drawn to him physically. Even now, just the simple fact that he gave his companionship even at a time such as this, the fact that he still cared about her meant more than he knew. "Thank you," she murmured. There was a sense of ease that came over her in that instance, that he could still be counted on even though they were not meant to be more than lovers for a time.

When he mentioned Tristan for a husband, she shook her head, and then when Douglas came up, she did ponder that one. In a perfect world, a man like Douglas Gordon would ask for her hand and she might think her father would say "yes" to that one. She was attracted to him, no doubt about that one. She was magnetized to him more so than Viktre.

Viktre watched the way Pip responded to the doctor's name and frowned but she had paused after he mentioned the artist.  "Is he good man?  Good home for you and mladenets?  I will make sure money in bank for life for him, as I am father.  You decide if he ever know of me other than maybe friend of you, but that up to you.  I make sure he not need anything.  But what husband you get needs to have good home and treat you well with all you need too."  He said firmly. 

"If not, then you could go to my family in Russia.  Is good home and my mother would spoil you and mladenets."  He chuckled.  "She want me have family.  I could marry but here not good for you with me with sailor and dock workers.  Would need to live with family back home."  He said thinking about it, trying to figure out how to deal with this.  He was still not totally all out of the shock of it all.

"He is out of my reach, Viktre, a nobleman." Then again, she was potentially an heiress, she thought quietly. Then she sighed softly, "And the Doctor is much like an older brother for me. I couldn't imagine being with him." But she could still imagine herself with Douglas. "I wish he would see me the way I see him... But I know that he is much like you in that he attracts women and... I don't think he'd ever love someone like me."

The truth was, she didn't know. She didn't know what Douglas' feelings were and if he was even attracted to her the way she was attracted to him.

Her eyes moved to his face and she tilted her head, "May I ask you something, Viktre?"

He listened to her response to his suggestions.  He frowned at her thinking this artist was above her.  "I thought he was famous artist.  Who is the nobleman?"  He had tried to keep things straight with what she had said before but some of the English had gotten mixed up somewhere apparently.  "Pip is a lady.  Either of them be lucky to marry and have Viktre son."  He stated plainly and firmly, considering the statement to be fact.

His eyes gave her a tender look.  "If he like Viktre then yes, Pip deserve better.  This part of why thinking look for good man is needed for you.  My partner...like brother to me, Ayyen... you meet him, da?  He is gentleman, was office in Russian Navy.  Is good man.  That kind of man you need.  Would take care of you and mladenets.  Give you good home and be true once married.  Viktre is wild still.  Not tame.  Pip too ladylike to tame Viktre or both not like each other anymore if tried."  He explained his thought.  "Not want to not like Pip.  Not want to resent mladenets..." he tried out the English word, "baby."

When she asked if she could ask him a question, he nodded and said, "Da. chto-libo.....um...Anything."

"The artist is the nobleman, Viktre." She said softly. And then Viktre was sure it was a son, which made her smile, "Or you could have a strong daughter of the seas." Pippa sighed then and set her hand on her belly, tenderly curling her hand over the slight round that it was beneath her clothing, the first outward sign he had yet to see.

"And I don't know if he likes them as much as they like him, I just remember seeing them flock to him the first time I met him." She chuckled. "I do wish he would look at me the way you just did," she said softly, "Like I matter." But then he was trying to talk his friend up to her and she smiled again, "He sounds like a lovely soul." But she wasn't certain she had any attraction for that one.

For a moment after he said she could ask anything, she said, "If something did happen to me, would you take the child to your parents? Would they welcome the baby without me? I want him to be loved and I'll love him well but I'm frightened something will happen to me."

"Oh."  That made that more clear in his mind.  "Nobleman is creative then.  Good for a father and take care of you.  Position and money?  Is good thing in my mind."  He nodded.  "If he is good man?  Then very good, da."  He talked as much to himself as to Pip.

At the comment of daughter, he nodded with a chuckle.  "Strong woman of sea, da.  Though always thing of man to think of son, da?  Even when not expecting make son, son is in head."  He had a sudden image of a black haired young woman managing the company.  Though not on the sea.   "No woman on fish boat though, is bad luck."  He continued pushing the image from his head.  Though a tall dark haired man standing on one of the ships they planned to buy to add to the company and that was a good image.  Again he pushed it away.  He was not good to be anyone's father.  Not a good example.  He was too wild and liked his vodka much too much.

He was turned back into what Pip was saying.  "Pip does matter. Is good person and beautiful to visit with beside being much good in bed."  He winked.  Then frowned as the baby that had created came back to mind.  He moved back to speaking of Ayyen.  "He wants family one day.  Idea is he to become parttime on sea and more time here on the business side once we really get going."  He thought that would be a good thing for Pip should she want him to speak on her behalf to his friend.

When she spoke of her question.  His eyes became deeply concerned.  "Is there problem?  Da, my family would take on our mladenets, but there will nothing happen to Pip."  He said firmly reaching over to hold her hand.  He was thinking more vodka would do well right about then.  All this was so serious and dramatic for him.  His heart though was hurting just thinking of something happening to Pip.

"I think he is a fine man but I don't think he feels for me what I might feel for him." She was honest about it. It wasn't love, that was for certain, but she was deeply attracted to the artist in question. Douglas was too attractive for his own good and she was determined not to be one of those girls who pined after him. She was sure he was used to that.

When he talked about his friend again, she wasn't sure how to respond. "I am sure he is wonderful... I will take him into consideration." But, she thought, she wasn't sure if it would bring anything to fruition.

His hand was on hers and she listened to him speak of nothing happening to her and she said nothing right away, then she murmured, "Thank you." She moved on the bed so she was closer to him and she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Then she said, "I want to forget for a time. Can we do that?"

Viktre gave her a look and looked at her belly not sure how to forget it.  His arms went around her.  "This can try, but this is still ....." he indicated her belly.  "A much to deal with, Pip.  This brain, " He tapped his forehead, "has not time to sort all this out.  Very surprise, da?"  How did she expect him to forget it at all.  She had a longer time to think about it and worry about it, but for him, it was still very new. 

"Maybe I make something to eat?"  Viktre suggested thinking of what was available in the small kitchen below.

He did not know there was a man watching over the house and was concerned about what was going on inside.  Mr. Roberts was getting edgy out there and was considering sending a messenger out to let the Earl and Doctor know that the lass was still there and only one man came out.  He didn't know if that had been the fisherman or not.  Did the man harm the young woman and run to get away from it?  He was supposed to be protecting Miss Danes, but felt like he was not doing a very job of it out there.