She listened quietly as he spoke of the things that he went through so candidly with someone like her. Pippa did feel slightly nervous, now knowing that he was unattached and she did not exactly know how to pursue a man. But she turned her gaze toward him when he brought her back up and why she was there. She licked her lips and looked away. "I am not sure that it is a good idea for me to be candid, but to be truthful... I do not know many people here and I have few friends since coming here. Even fewer than I thought."

Pippa bit her lip for a moment before glancing at him sidelong, and she took a deep breath before saying, "My family was killed in a fire set by a man that my father was associated with. I was in finishing school at the time this happened. I sold most of my gowns, all but this locket," she paused and put her hand over the locket that dangled from her neck, "my books, whatever I had that could have been of some value... The bank had frozen the money as far as I know, so I had to do something."

It was the first time she could talk about the horrible things that brought her to Whitby and she was not crying for it.

The emotion was thick, however, especially in the way her voice sounded. "He's looking for me now... The man who killed my family," she went on to say. "So... I came here from America while the wound was fresh. And... I suppose mistakes are easiest made when you do not have a clear head, when you are blinded by grief. I met a man and we.., created a life. He is a sailor and I come here to look for his ship sometimes and check his home. I don't think he will be back for a time. I thought today that I could come here and let go. I feel so stupid. I just wanted to feel anything besides the pain in my heart and now I am paying for it." She gave a slight shrug, looked down at her hands.

"I am not sure what to do other than look for someone who would be willing to marry for convenience, but I am not so sure if it will work. I am frightened of getting into yet another bad situation."