At least that nod Pippa gave was enough for the soldier to scram. Perhaps Tristan should have thanked the lad for looking after his maid when she was sick. He probably would have. If he hadn't brought her back hours after the event because they had lost time 'talking'.

Tristan closed the door, turned on his heel and made his way to the kitchen with a grim face.

Pippa had been sick though. She was all sorts of vulnerable, and pregnant on top of that. First things first. "Are you still feeling sick?" he asked pragmatically from the doorway where he halted.