Beth screws up her mouth, staring up at Byerly. He's not wrong, he's just condescending. Which isn't surprising, really. It's Byerly--he's doing it on purpose. And at least he's not being anywhere near as much of a jackass as he can be.

"I'm not going to gossip about the countess." I need her--but that's too serious an explanation, and it says more than she really wants it to. The countess is the difference between having a knife and not having a knife. After a moment or two, lighter, "There's nothing to gossip about anyway. Not like if you told me what you do all day."