Pearl was tired. She'd not only tutored her student, but she had managed to write out a bit of gossip that she had learned earlier... only to have a moral quandary about it and ended up throwing the paper into the hearth. She had never liked gossip before but Rose had spoken to her about several people and she found herself wondering what was true and what wasn't. She sat in the parlor and stared off whilst thinking about these things. Unfortunately, there was nothing else to do. Tilly came out of the kitchen and Pearl gave a start. "You can have the rest of the afternoon off, Tilly. Why don't you go enjoy yourself for a time? I will be fine." She did, after all, know how to use a stove.

After Tilly took off, Pearl stood up and puttered about her house, then decided she would bake something. She hummed as she put a batch of scones together, put those in the oven, and began to set her table for tea.