He keeps staring at her, his face maintaining that intense concentration, that uncanny focus. Finally, he slips back into his ironic expression, flipping a hand up and lifting sardonic brows; he drawls archly, "Oh, all right, then."

But he looks at her once again, and there's a hard glint in his eyes that's at odds with the casual tone in his voice when he says, "But I do hope that no one's been harassing you. Or making demands. If that's what this is about. That sort of thing simply wouldn't be tolerated, if it's going on."