Her change in tone threw him off, and he wondered if his tone a moment earlier had been out of place. He looked down at his legs somewhat sheepishly.

"He didn't like me talking to Miss Zelda," Alfred mumbled, almost an apology. His gaze shifted evasively to the far side of the room. "I don't know. Maybe I'd feel the same way about my sister, if she was still alive." It was a different dynamic, of course — Alfred had been the youngest even when his sister was alive, which didn't give him much opportunity to feel protective of her. She had also made a much sounder choice as far as men were concerned — Alfred could freely admit that with his background and his peculiarities, he wasn't exactly a catch for any young woman who was looking for a suitable husband.