John smiled and acknowledged her squuzing his hand by returning the gesture "im a simple individual. I was a tearaway as a child and a teenager. The file on me in the police station must be as thick as a business directory" he jokes but was probably true "I needed to escape from here so that's why I joined the army.

He thought for a moment "my favourite colour is red, always had a thing for the red tunics of the army. There's just something so vibrant about the colour" he thought for a second "my favorite food would be curry, I tried alot of different ones in India when I was over there. We'd have local cooks work with us and prepare food for us to put money into the community"

"I would be delighted to invite you for tea and scones, but one day, I will make this curry for you if you desire it and can get me a recipe." She was actually perking up at the talk of cooking. "I only just started to learn how to cook and it's the most fun I have had since becoming a maid. I never knew being a lady was boring until I began to learn how to take care of a house as a maid would." She smiled. "It was all embroidery and walking 'round with a book perched upon my head, wondering what book to read next. Working has given me a purpose." She paused and looked down at their hands, "I suppose being a wife is a good way to ply my new skills, no?" And then she did something that he'd not seen from her until that moment... she gave a rather lovely smile, one that truly lit her eyes and was honestly given. Her eyes crinkled slightly and her slightly off-white teeth, perfectly imperfect, flashed at him. If he thought she was lovely before, it would be easy enough to see something about her that radiated warmth and welcome. In fact, it was something she hadn't allowed anyone to see since her family died.

John laughed "see that's where your slightly off. I wouldn't leave all the cooking to you. I can cook myself. The army taught me too aswell as other skills. I have some cash put aside to assist me when I leave the army and return to civilian life. They taught me to sew and I'm currently the regimental tailor. I'd like to open my own business when we return here"

He smiled when she did. He knew deep down that she hadn't felt this comfortable around someone for a long time. He knew what it was like to deal with demons and have walls up inside. He was really warming towards pippa. He leaned in towards her and continued speaking "the Indians taught me how to make traditional curry. Ill teach you one evening and you can try it for yourself. There's nothing better than proper curry with garlic naans straight from the skillet"

She smiled even wider, then nodded, "We can certainly make a night out of cooking together." Then she looked down again and said, "Then I think I have made the right choice in someone to marry... under the circumstances, I mean." She fidgeted for a moment and then glanced at him. "And what of... other things of more... intimate manners?" she said this in a voice low enough only he could hear, and murmured further, "Am I attractive enough to you for... things? I think you are not hard to look at so I imagine it wouldn't be such a hard thing to endure... our... marital duties?"

To her credit, she didn't blush.

John raised an eyebrow. "I certainly wouldn't kick you out of the bed on a cold night!" He teased. He didn't say it out loud but she was beautiful. Even with the belly getting larger every single day. He smiled. He definitely wouldn't object to knocking boots with this beautiful woman. John smiled "if you are to be my wife then no one in this world will be as beautiful as you are to me!" And he thought for a moment "and if there's anything your uncomfortable with then say. I don't want to hurt you or cause you any pain"

She was silent for a moment, then she nodded, comforted in knowing that she had found someone who could help her, and perhaps she could help him in return. They could at least be friends at first, she mused, but she didn't see the point in waiting when time was of the essence in her case. She considered leaning in and kissing him to see how it would feel, but then thought better of it considering they were out in public and already sitting together like old lovers reunited. To be honest, she wasn't sure how she felt about the situation, there was a lot of conflict in her heart about her circumstances, but perhaps things would look up for sure if they did marry.

"Then we shall be fine, I think." She tilted her head and then glanced his way again. "You are sure you want this too then?"

John nodded "I've got a room booked at the local in tonight. I don't want to be in my parents house tonight so got my own space for this evening away from there to give me space. Would you like to join me this evening?"

John smiled when she tilted his head towards him and leaned I to gently kiss her lips. He stopped for a moment mid kiss then pulled back slightly. "I don't know why. But everything with you seems to just make sense!" He thought for a moment "would you like to go get some food? Go someplace a bit warmer and relax?"

So... she had come full circle. Pippa gave pause as a chart formed in her mind where she weighed out each answer to the question that she could think of and base her decision on that. She was so startled by the offer to take her to the inn to eat and possibly relax that she hadn't processed the kiss. The first words that came to her mouth, however, were, "That is what got me into this situation," but it was said in some amusement and poking fun at her own expense.

Her eyes shifted to him and then she lifted a brow, "I will make a deal with you... I will go to your inn but if you decide to change your mind on this marriage, it shall be before anything untoward happens. Does that sound fair to you?"

John thought for a moment then returned to her gaze. He smiled "im not intending to change my mind pippa" he truelly wasn't. This woman was incredible and he was happy she wanted to be part of his life. He wondered if this would lead to more. He leaned in again and kissed her lips before smiling and saying "I could get used to that"

He stood up and straightened himself upright. He offered pippa his hand and gestured "why don't we go find someplace warmer and get you away from the Dock smells, might make you less nauseous"

She eyed him for a long moment. It was hard to trust someone with that part of her again. She had lain with a man whose love for the sea was far greater than any love he could give to a woman and a child. Perhaps there would be a day when he came back and sought his child, but she could not afford to wait for him to return from the call of the ocean. And the fact that he had tried to pawn her off to his partner without considering what she deserved, what the child deserved. Now she was gazing at a man who was willing to make that commitment knowing full well the child wasn't his because she would not entertain a marriage based on lies between them. It felt bad enough that she had to lie to society, that her baby would pay as much as she for being conceived in a coupling that should have never happened at all.

She took his hand even as he might be able to see the hesitation in her expression and in the way she finally did lift the appendage. Her eyes were apprehensive, and understandably so. She hoped he understood, anyway. Another deep breath in through the mouth later and she was on his arm and then she turned her gaze to him once more. Her expression was now solemn as she said, "Well then, let us learn about each other, and then plan this wedding."