She quirked a brow at his response but gave no other indications that she suspected something to be amiss. Perhaps Ben had indulged in gambling and lost terribly or something of that sort. Whatever the case may be, she wasn't going to question him publicly about it, and certainly not when she was thus far enjoying the evening.

"Yes, I've quite missed Mrs. Abbott. Now that they've moved out to the country I see her less and less." The Abbott's were a handsome couple, and Melody was overjoyed for her friend to find such a successful match. "They only recently returned from their honeymoon, too, I believe, so perhaps we'll see more of one another in the new year."