"What?" Freddie was thrown by her wounded expression. "Um, no. I-- ... hang on just a moment, I'm sorting ..." he gestured to the papers in front of him, which were covered in numbers and shorthand in Freddie's untidy handwriting. He heaved a sigh and rolled the parchments up quickly, avoiding Alice's questioning gaze and the guilt that was welling in his chest. Without looking up, he spoke, his voice quiet and very level. "Is that your boyfriend you were with?"