Ford was a little annoyed to have been forced to deal with conversation for something so trivial as hello, but he knew he was being uncharitable. He was usually happy to have Clementine home for an afternoon, and if he hadn't been battling such a tremendous hangover (or perhaps if the news from the paper hadn't thrown him so immediately and intensely out of balance) he might still have been. As it was, he let his gaze fall to the floor and squeezed his eyes shut for just a second, trying to force them to refocus in a way that was more helpful given the state of his head.
"No, nothing's happened," he mumbled, folding the newspaper but leaving it on his lap. "Just society news. I'm — not feeling well this morning," he explained. He might not have said anything at all except that he was sure it was already obvious, and offering her some explanation might at least prevent her from asking about it directly, or trying to ferret out what was the matter later from one of their siblings (which wouldn't be difficult — he was sure everyone was very well aware that he'd been drunk last night, and that he'd left the party with Lestrange — which meant they had about as many details about the previous night as Ford did).
"No, nothing's happened," he mumbled, folding the newspaper but leaving it on his lap. "Just society news. I'm — not feeling well this morning," he explained. He might not have said anything at all except that he was sure it was already obvious, and offering her some explanation might at least prevent her from asking about it directly, or trying to ferret out what was the matter later from one of their siblings (which wouldn't be difficult — he was sure everyone was very well aware that he'd been drunk last night, and that he'd left the party with Lestrange — which meant they had about as many details about the previous night as Ford did).
Set by Lady!