Shit! He had to bring up men. Her eyes widened a little and she hid her face. Now what was she to do? She shook her head, "I think I left it on my bed at school. I just... took whatever I had of value and sold it and I left. I was so frightened." Pippa looked between the two men and her eyes started to shimmer with tears. She wanted to take the offer for a drink but she did not, merely lifting a hand in a gesture.

"And I... I..." She flinched again and then said almost on a whisper, her words nearly catching in her throat and coming out sounding garbled. "There is a man." And then she stood up again and walked to a window. "I... went to market on my day off one day and met him there and I turned to him, a complete stranger..." She gripped at both of her upper arms so hard that her knuckles turned white.

She looked to Tristan then and had a tear dribbling down her cheek. "I didn't intend to but it was the only thing I had left of my own that I wanted to give on my own terms." Her lips trembled and she closed her eyes. "I don't expect you to understand my motives, either, and fully accept my responsibility in this... I understand if my job is terminated by this confession."