That was the last thing he wanted to do. It only added to his shame. But as it was the only advice his sister had to offer, he nodded sheepishly. Her instincts had been sounder than his own.

They were disrupted by Pippa herself before they could say anything else. "Pippa, how are you feeling?" She certainly looked better than the night before, but still moved about like a shell of the girl he knew. And then she was gone, like a ghost. Tristan frowned.

His sister spoke again and Tristan turned his eyes back on her. A governess? When had she arranged all of that? In other circumstances, he would have argued with her about the suitability of such a position. As it was, there were bigger fires to attend to. "I think she will be well, physically. It's the mental side that I am most concerned with. But I think there will be someone who can attend to her. Regardless, Nel, I think you ought to go home. Just for a while. Not because of yesterday. I'm not mad with you. Only... Things may get nasty once people find out that a missing socialite has been working as a servant and got pregnant while she was under my roof." There was a slight tremor in his voice while he said that. "I'm still hoping to keep a lid on it, but some people know already and are jumping to conclusions. I want you to pack your bags and get on the three twenty train to Newcastle this afternoon. I telegraphed home last night for someone to pick you up from the station."