Barnaby eyed him pensively at that snappish first answer, letting his gaze linger as he tried to decide whether Greengrass was actually annoyed with him. (Hard to believe as it was, Barnaby would prefer not to add unnecessarily to his list of ‘people who thought him an annoyance’. It was quite lengthy enough already.)
So maybe he softened a little at the latter part of Greengrass’ answer. “Ah, the woes of family,” Barnaby put in a touch melodramatically, although with an entirely unironic sympathetic shake of his head this time. If they could agree on any sentiment, it was that – family could indeed be more trouble than it was worth.
Admittedly Greengrass’ family on the whole seemed rather less unbearable than some, but still – Barnaby was determined to show some loyalty here. “When I go, shall I drift through your brother’s little den of iniquity –” the potions workshop, Barnaby knew it was a potions workshop, but it sounded more nefarious and less mundane this way, “– to make certain that he is concocting no wicked schemes against you?” Barnaby wouldn’t mind Fortitude dying if he happened to Stay On, he supposed, but he would prefer not to take the risk, to lose a valuable Living contact, and besides, he would rather not see another superlative young fellow be cruelly usurped by a jealous brother.
So maybe he softened a little at the latter part of Greengrass’ answer. “Ah, the woes of family,” Barnaby put in a touch melodramatically, although with an entirely unironic sympathetic shake of his head this time. If they could agree on any sentiment, it was that – family could indeed be more trouble than it was worth.
Admittedly Greengrass’ family on the whole seemed rather less unbearable than some, but still – Barnaby was determined to show some loyalty here. “When I go, shall I drift through your brother’s little den of iniquity –” the potions workshop, Barnaby knew it was a potions workshop, but it sounded more nefarious and less mundane this way, “– to make certain that he is concocting no wicked schemes against you?” Barnaby wouldn’t mind Fortitude dying if he happened to Stay On, he supposed, but he would prefer not to take the risk, to lose a valuable Living contact, and besides, he would rather not see another superlative young fellow be cruelly usurped by a jealous brother.
