Her words made him uneasy. He felt oddly called out and he wasn't sure how to respond. Luckily, she continued. Still he hesitated in formulating an answer, albeit for different reasons. He avoided looking at her directly and looked at the paper instead, thinking as fast as his worn out brain would allow.

Here was a quandary: A chance for Pippa to return to her old life and find peace had come at last, just when her own situation might cast her out from that life for good. Her friends had found her, but in a state where friends were most likely to disassociate themselves from a young lady. Pregnant out of wedlock and sanity crumbling away, this might be the very worst time for Pippa to be found.

He had given away too much already to deny that she was living under his roof. He wouldn't attempt it anyway now that the press was involved. This promised to be messy enough for him as it was. But he would still try to give away as little as was possible while buying more time.

"Yes, Miss Zimmermann, I'm happy to say your search is complete. It's a great relief to learn that P- Miss Danes still has friends in this world. However, I must urge you to tread carefully and keep the press as ignorant as you have the power to keep them. It is as you say. Your friend is very fearful, and she has suffered more than any young lady should be forced to bear, let alone bear it on her own. She is poorly, ill at the moment, and I worry about introducing a great shock to her at once, even a positive one."