Elsa's eyes darted between his eyes and his mouth, finding different emotions there. His eyes made her want to apologize more, find a way to make it up to him, make it all good again - if indeed it had ever been. His mouth was smiling, as if trying to tell her it was all right. She couldn't even remember why she had been so angry, what had made her slap him in the first place. He had said the night before that he didn't know her, obviously there was no reason for her reaction, even though it had seemed logical and justified just moments before. That he seemed to forgive her, was another cause for confusion, it did not feel as the thing he should do, without any experience she could remember, it still managed to surprise her. Shaking her head vehemently, she spoke, reverting back to the same language they spoke without noticing she had ever switched. "No, I'm sorry," she repeated, though unwilling to admit she did not know why she had done it. "I ought not to have done so."
Hiding her hands in the folds of her skirt, she took a comforting hold of the soft wool, trying to gather her composure again. Frowning at his last words, her eyebrows flew up when she realised how it sounded. A sudden flash of that man who was not Brennan, but looked so similar, tanned skin and dark locks...Elsa pushed the memory away, trying to focus at the matter at hand. Noticing the looks the other women were giving her, she unconsciously raised her chin slightly. How ironic that this must look like a lover's spat, when he reminded her of some past lover, but insisted they had never met. Nevertheless, it was very gracious of him to simply take the blame, when apparently his friend was very ready to defend him.
Just then, said friend stepped away, with a dark stare at Elsa. Keeping her head high, Elsa simply let a polite smile flow onto her lips, knuckles whitening unseen in the folds of her skirt. Looking back at Brennan, she smiled as sweetly as she could at him, trying to tell him with her eyes how thankful she was that he hadn't made a big thing out of her odd reaction. Glancing over the retreating woman, Elsa's smile faltered again. "I will not keep you any longer," she said politely, keeping her impulse to touch him tightly in rein. Turning and walking back into the village, she knew well how this must look to the others - the women in Brennan's life (who was that other woman?) - fighting over him. But she knew he would not run after her, he had made his views clear: he did not know her.
Sighing slightly, Elsa walked towards the waterfront. She would find a quiet corner, and then she would think this through thoroughly. It would not do to throw herself on every available male in her vicinity, she thought dryly, despite this being the first time it had happened. She only had herself in this world and mooning over handsome men that reminded her of the shadowy characters in her head, was no good.a