She nodded, heart in her throat. She could feel it beating like drums of war. She looked at him with glassy eyes, breathing hard enough that the sound of it soon reminded her of the sound of the ocean in her ears. Pippa swallowed audibly and slowly sank back into the chair, staring at nothing in particular. Then she lifted her eyes back to his face and she said in a small, raw sounding voice, "I'll take a moment once you..." she hiccupped, "once you show me to my rooms." She did not wish to cry in front of him it seemed even if he probably thought it one of the most natural things.

Pippa lifted her chin and steeled herself, the emotions in check for the moment and her expression replaced with the facade of calm. The last of her bread was then devoured because she was still slightly hungry despite the sudden souring of her appetite just moments before. She tried to ignore the way the pastry stuck to the roof of her mouth. She swallowed the lump and then folded her hands.