"If it upset you, it's not stupid," Marcus countered softly, though in a tone that indicated he wasn't going to question her further. He would never pressure Bryony to talk about something she didn't want to, especially once she explained that she'd been with her mother, to which he just nodded to show his understanding. Of course Iris was at fault, but that wasn't something he could say aloud, even if had just been the two of them.
He did shake his head slightly at her mention of owling before coming over - with as unhappy as she'd obviously been when she arrived, he couldn't imagine making her wait any extra time. The knowledge that they would always support one another was just a fact of life, and he reminded her, "You're always welcome here."
Marcus looked over at Roger when the other man stood, confusion evident on his face. "You don't have to go anywhere," he said, standing from his former position on the floor as if to follow him, but unable to bring himself to step away from Bryony.