<Cw> Nudity

She stood at the window of her room, now devoid of the things she had gathered in the time she had spent living with the doctor. Her things were neatly tucked into a trunk at the ready for her to leave. It was sad but good in a way. She had calmed greatly since her Russian lover had set sail possibly never to be seen again. She had accepted her fate. Her hand moved to touch the swell of her belly - she was in her underwear so she was not quite hanging out the window so others could see her delicates, mind you... She had stopped bothering with the corset for the time being.

The trauma of losing her family would forever be a part of her but she had to find a way to get better for the sake of the very little one who fluttered restlessly enough to cause her to feel discomfort. It was still early enough in the morning that she had time to think, the idea of getting dressed was simply exhausting.

She sighed softly and padded over to the mirror, pulling off the shift so she stood only in her knickers and stockings, looking at herself and the now noticable swell. She might not be happy with the hand she helped to deal to herself, but she couldn't help but stare in wonder at the way she was starting to fill out. Her tender breasts were heavier than they had been, her face was starting to fill out too and she was glowing in a way she had never noticed before.

The babe might not have asked to exist, but she loved him or her beyond something fathonable. Her eyes traced each new definition to her body; wider hips, heavier breasts, shinier hair, and other subtle changes she was starting to notice over time. She thought about lying back down, but she did not know if Tristan would be alright with her taking the extra day off considering there was a tight ship to run. She was starting to clean to the point of near perfection, spending more time noticing the things around the house that needed attention. She made it a point to stay out of the study, she did not wish to cause another fight between the two of them...

It was then that she heard a knock on her door... It sounded dainty, like that of a feminine hand, and it was a familiar rap. She pulled her dressing gown over herself and cinched it tightly under her breasts. She then moved to the door and peeked out.

Penny smiled at her softly, having grown fond of the young woman. She said, "I thought I would come check on you... You have been hiding a bit more, darling, are you alright?"

Pippa gave a wan smile and said, "I am just a bit tired. I feel as though I need sleep a lot more."

"Perhaps you should let Tristan take a look at you. You look radiant but you also look a bit strained. Have you been eating alright? Would you like for me to spoil you for once, dear? You do so much for Tristan and me..."

Pippa blinked in surprise and backed into the room with the door in tow, inviting her friend into her room and watching the other woman enter the room and glance about with a frown when she noticed that most of Pippa's belongings were tucked away in the trunk that sat open for the time being.

"Are you leaving, Pippa?"

"It's for the best as I am sure you understand. I'm a ruined woman unless I marry someone before the baby comes. I cannot be here to bring scandal on Dr. Wells' head." Pippa moved to sit down on the end of her bed, grabbing for the brush that she had sitting on the bed while she was getting ready for the day.

"But you cannot go out there on your own, can you? I know you've already done as much by coming here to Whitby. Pippa, I worry about you, don't you know that?" Penny moved to her and took the brush, gesturing for Pippa to move further back onto the bed so she could move behind her and start brushing her friend's hair.

Pippa closed her eyes and relaxed into the soft movement of the brush, her sigh was a nice, comfortable one.

"That's it, dear, just relax for now. Would you like me to braid your hair and pin it up for you too? I wouldn't mind." Pippa gave a nod and a murmur that sounded like an affirmative... After several minutes of silent hair brushing, Penny soon put Pippa's hair up in a charming braided coif, allowing for the air to touch her friend's neck.

Pippa soon started to doze. Penny helped her out, moved to tuck her in and then, once she knew her friend was sound asleep, she crept out of the room and headed off to find her brother...

Penny knew her brother was likely in the study to do what he did, so she took her time in getting there. There was a lot on Penny's mind. She wasn't sure how to approach Tristan about this, with her concern for Pippa. She sighed and went toward the kitchen first in order to poke around the pantry and find some options to put together a cold breakfast. Pippa had boiled some eggs the day before that were set to keep cold before consuming... She made an egg salad with some of the ingredients Pippa had, there was a recipe on a card that seemed easy enough to follow...

"Boil six cloves of garlic for six minutes, and pound them with a few capers and two anchovies; mix them thoroughly with oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar, and serve with hard-boiled eggs, whole or cut in two." - Excerpt from https://www.anythingbutwork.com/food-dri...ecipes.htm

She finished that up and then made some toast to put it on, some tea to drink with it, she cut up some apples and tossed them in sugar and a little bit of vinegar to keep them from browning, then fried up a few pieces of ham for each of them, and sliced some cheese. She then brought the tray full of goodies, first taking a plate up to Pippa for her to eat when she woke along with some warm milk and honey instead of tea. Pippa woke from the smell and thanked her before she began to taste of the things.

Penny then took the tray with her to the study and rapped on the door a few times before announcing herself. "Are you in there, brother? I have some food for you."

Whereas some people spent their Sunday mornings in church, listening to threats of damnation from their minister, Tristan spent his in his study, subjected to similar threats from his ledgers. Except today the books weren't even opened. He just sat there with his head in his hands, staring down at the pile of receipt and unopened book, dreading the sense of shame so much that he couldn't get himself to begin.

The knock was a welcome excuse to put of the discomfort for a bit longer. Tristan got up, opened the door and stepped out, rather than letting his sister in, as if he feared that the very sight of what was on his desk gave away his desperate financial situation. "Sister..." he said, a little surprised at the plate. "Is Pippa still unwell? Please, let's go into the dining room." He gestured in the direction of the next room.

"I think she is wilting under her self imposed imprisonment... Ever since she gave up trying to talk to the man who... Ah... And she hasn't been talking much... I am worried about her. She packed her things up too..."

She walked in and set the food down, offering him his tea and plate of food. "She gets her work done and stays out of sight. But that's about it... I tried to talk to her today and she just said it was best she goes soon... Surely we can't let her go out there on her own, can we?" She didn't know yet about John.

Tristan sat down at his usual spot at the head of the table, leaving Penelope to sit down at what was now her usual spot because she was still here.

He didn't like what he heard about Pippa. Was the unfortunate maid planning to just run. Had that soldier put ideas in her head? Seduced her into eloping? His gut feeling about that young man had been right, then. He had bad intentions.

But he didn't like the way Penelope spoke about it either. She was entirely too involved. At first, Tristan had tried to hide the situation from his sister. When that became impossible, he had urged her to not mention it at home. Not that she would be able to do that at the moment, because she was still here. Still, she was too involved, invested even. With his household!

He sighed as he cut his toast. "Certainly not. I'll speak with her. But you needn't concern yourself with this, Nel. I've got it under control. I hope it's not concern for Pippa that's kept you away from Newcastle for so long?" A hopefully subtle way of asking why she was still here.

Penny lifted a brow, "I think I'll stay in Whitby, actually... I am looking for a post. While I appreciate the opportunity to be polished, I'm more interested in being helpful to children. Once I have a post, I'll be set and out of your hair..." In other words, she mused, I'm not staying here, that's for damn sure, you cranky man. Instead, she gasped and muttered, "I have to go!"

And she deliberately grabbed her dishes and started for the door to avoid facing his wraith. She took her food to the kitchen and started packing her food into wax paper as quickly as possible so she could exit stage right.

(warning, sickness)Pippa felt queasy. She could only eat a little of what Penny gave her before wanting to push things away. Her vomiting that came without another thought, she didn't make it to the pot. She was so I'll she made a mess of herself. And it was loud enough it could pose for distracted from Penny.

Whaaaaaaat?! For two seconds, Tristan sat there, watching her retreat. Then he got up and followed her. "Nel?" What was that about? Had he been too obvious? He was irritated with his sister's long stay and her living on his dwindling resources, but he hadn't wanted to upset her. "Nel!"

He didn't make it halfway down the stairs before a sound that haunted his worst nightmares came from above. "Christ..." he whispered. Every doctor had their ick. He'd rather repeat the horror and embarrassment of his first day in the operating theater, than go anywhere near vomit. And Penelope had conveniently scampered. He was the doctor. Fuck. It was at moments like these that Tristan almost believed there was a God, just to explain why shit like this always happened to him!

Reluctantly and queasy, he made his way up to the room of horrors that awaited him. He opened the door. She had missed the chamber pot. That was it. He was on the next boat out to Europe.

"You alright, Pippa?" Those six years at one of the world's most prestigious medical schools were really showing.

Oh, there was more, but it wouldn't horrify him, it would most likely strike him as sad in a way he had only seen part of, she was on the floor curled up in a ball, sobbing brokenly with her fist pressed to her lips to stifle the noise and hopefully not attract his attention. But then she heard his voice and the sobbing stopped immediately, and she looked anywhere but Tris as she sought to control her emotions knowing he was now in the room. With knowing he was in the room, she said, "I'm sorry, I'll clean it up," as she knew from experience how he felt, though not that it was as bad as it is.

She then rolled to her other side so he couldn't see he struggling, though it would be hard to miss the way her hands now covered her face. It was clear she was more upset at something else than the puke that didn't make it into the chamber pot. And he would not be able to miss the half packed trunk, but there was no signs of the chaos of quick packing from someone in a hurry. No, it was done with deliberation and even a tiny bit of dust might be noticable over a figurine she had never shown anyone that looked to be old and cracked, even still sporting soot from a fire.

This was not a woman running from him, it was a woman biding her time until such a time where she did have to go. But the decor she had purchased with her work money had been left in various places so lovingly and deliberately as to show an affection for her space.

The sight of her balled up like that worried him more than the vomiting had. It reminded him of patients in the asylum. Of the fresh patient he had delivered there. He did not want to see Pippa go down the same path. So concerned with her was he, that he did not notice the trunk.

"No, Pippa. I'll bring up some water and soap so you can clean yourself up. Then you'll come down to the practice and I'll look you over. You're not well. I'll get one of the women from the yard to clean up here." Not waiting for an answer, he went downstairs and returned a few minutes later with a jug and washbowl with hot water, a towel and some soap. He was waiting on the servant now, he reflected as he walked up the stairs. How had it come to this.

But he showed no irritation as he returned to the attic room. He put the things near the entrance, reluctant to enter the ill-reeking place. "Have you got something clean to put on?"