He felt a little bad about the way the conversation had gone (though not bad enough that he was willing to relent and let her run off to France unsupervised for two weeks). He wished he could say something else that would soften things slightly, but everything that occurred to him would surely only make it worse. She didn't want to hear about what fun things they might do this summer, surely, and if he tried to promise she could go to France next year or the following it would probably have been a lie. Instead of speaking, he let out a weary breath and took another sip of his tea.
Set by Lady!