She has her game face on again by the time he reaches the bottom of the stairs, and as he ducks outside, she looks up, ready with a comment about how beautiful the sky is so early (and it is, with just the slightest hint of a morning chill).

But he surprises her.

He's hurrying after her; he's apologizing. And--

"You didn't call me Countess," she says wonderingly, and her smile is soft enough that it's safe to guess that he has been forgiven. Not only that, but he didn't call her Isplourrdacartha, either. "You could do that more often, you know. I'd like it."