It was the most geninue thing Sisse had heard from Mr. Selwyn (indeed for most of the day) and she smiled softly as she murmured, "That's quite alright." It was touching that he'd admit something like that. She remembered having the very same thoughts when Maddy's letter had come in about Elliot. What did one say in the face of such things? Now she knew the answer - there were no words that could make anything better.

And then he gestured to the sweets and somehow he seemed to have managed to know that she just wanted to escape. "That is very kind of you. Thank you." Her sad smile was warm as she looked at the blanket. She wasn't sure how exactly to tell him how much the thoughtfulness meant. "It is nice to be ... away." Away from the eyes and the comments and the constant analyzing of how she was expected to fact and how she should act.

"I-" Sisse swallowed and looked away not quite sure how to say what she wanted to say. She wanted to pretend none of this had happened, act as if this were normal. But really it wasn't normal. Mr. Sewlyn had never once sought her out for anything and she didn't want him to think she was misinterpreting his intentions. But she also didn't want that pitying look on his face. "Perhaps we might not talk of it?" It would set them both at ease, help her feel normal and not like half her life was suddenly a gaping wound that could never heal.