She felt her knees buckle when they both said she was under their protection. Nausea roiled in her belly too and she covered her mouth with the back of her hand, which shook visibly. Her nerves were clearly shot. She started to shake altogether. She had to sit down.

So she did.

"His name is Viktre... the fisherman that is... I don't know if he'll do anything, but if you think it would help to tell him, then perhaps we should." She swallowed the bile in her throat.

Tristan frowned at the suggestion of the fisherman helping, but before he could reply, he noticed Pippa's physical state and stood up quickly to catch her should she faint. She didn't and sat down instead, much to Tristan's relief. Still he walked over to the empty fireplace, took the empty coal bucket and brought it to Pippa's side. She looked as if she was about to be sick, and in the absence of a chamber pot, he'd rather have her be sick in the coal bucket than on his carpet.

"Not sure about involving Viktre..." he said, putting the bucket down near the young woman. "No offense but... can we trust him? That kind of folk is always looking for a few extra shillings. How do we know he would not sell her out?" And anyway, thought Tristan, he'd bet half his savings that the man would disappear without a trace if Pippa did turn out to be pregnant. He had seen it over and over.

Douglas could see Tristan's logic, however glancing at Pip, he raised a brow.  "Tristan, the lass 'as a connection tae the mon.  I dinna see us refusing 'er tae gae see 'im.  I double she would want one of us following 'er there either.  Nor the fisherman wondering why she was bring a bloke along with 'er tae 'is ... place.  Sae I would think letting 'im know that she is in danger, and likely if 'e is with 'er that 'e might be in danger as well, we can see what kind of sort 'e is."  He suggested as he moved back over to the bottles and poured himself another drink.  This was getting complicated. 

He looked to Pip realizing that all that was up to Pip.  Though she had turned on his surprisingly protective feelings, and he didn't think he could just let her go around out town alone with a murderer on the hunt for her.

She looked up at both men back and forth. Then she said softly, "If you think it will help. I..." she slumped over, pretty defeated by now. She didn't look to either man by that time, she was studying the bottom of that bucket. Tears no longer dribbled down her cheeks and she looked pale and drawn. Her sigh was soft as she seemed to be deep in thought, then she shifted to lie down, for her head felt so heavy.

Tristan watched the man help himself to another drink, and was tempted to ask Douglas to bring the bottle over. But he knew he needed to remain clear-headed. He watched Pippa lie down.

Then he sighed. "Fine. If she must see him, let him come here."

Douglas nodded.  Something he could do while Tristan took care of Pip to see what was wrong with her.  "I can dae that.  Where will 'e be?  I can run by there and bring 'im here if 'e is at 'ome."  He suggested bringing the glass he had half drunk and handed it to Tristan.  "Yu seem tae need this more than I dae, mate."

She lifted her head and looked to Tristan, confusion in her eyes. But before she could ask him what he meant, Douglas was asking questions.

"He might be out to sea right now... but..." She moved painfully slow from the couch and grabbed a piece of paper from the drawing pad, writing down the address she'd been meeting Viktre at. She offered the paper.

She gazed back over to Tristan again. Back to Douglas. Back to Tris. Back to... you get it. Then it dawned on her that he was giving her permission to have Viktre over. Her eyes widened a little. She wasn't sure at first how to respond to his words, but then she said, "I... Uh... are you sure?"

Tristan shook his head, but took the glass anyway. "I don't mean now," he said, and then, turning to Pippa: "I hardly am... I'm not saying I approve of it, because I don't. I think you are playing a very dangerous game, and half the women in the workhouse will tell you the same." He put the glass to his lips and poured half the contents down in one go. Then he continued. "But if you insist on continuing your acquaintance with him, and given the fact that you are in danger... Well, until this man who is after you is caught, I'd rather you didn't not go out. So let that fisherman come here, if that's the only way to keep you safe. We'll see about after that man's been caught." Then he ought to sack her.

Douglas gave Tristan a look of surprise.  It wasn't his business to direct his friend's employee, but that kind of arrangement had troubles of its own.  Plus the privacy issue, would this Viktre even be okay with that idea?  He stayed quiet about it but took the paper from Pip. 

"Well, when we are ready for me to meet 'im and invite 'im over here, let me know.  'owever, I dinna think keeping 'er locked up 'ere is tae good idea, Tristan.  Someone with 'er oot, but nae vera often, of course."  He glanced at Pip, not sure how she would be okay with not being able to ever leave the house.

He glanced at Pip.  "Would yu like for me tae start making distreet contacts in New York with my lawyer connections sae yu can find oot the information aboot if yu 'ave access tae yur inheritance?"

She wasn't sure about the arrangement either. Her face flamed red again and she cleared her throat. "I... will have to give things a good long think when I am not feeling so..." she gestured with her hand toward her head slowly and gave a grim expression. "Overwhelmed." And she was.

And then she felt really... really bad. "I... am sorry that any of this is happening at all and I feel like I've only brought trouble." Her eyes closed. "I cannot be cooped up every single day. I just cannot."

When Douglas mentioned the lawyers, she gave a nod, "It happened in Boston, Massachusetts."