The nod Madeleine gave was completely redundant – why would she have said it if it wasn’t true? – but it seemed to be a knee-jerk reaction. “I’m not sure what surprised me more; that, the noise the phone made or the way you managed to anticipate nearly every possible line of interrogation before I’d said anything.” The last one had actually thrown her into some kind of confusion for a bit, having taken away every possible appropriate response, leaving her with… what she ended up sending. Which she wasn’t sure was at all the appropriate sort of thing you said to someone you had actually thought to be dead. It probably wasn’t. But then neither was calling them a daft sod. “You shouldn’t tempt me. I’ll take a photograph of the screen and hang it on the wall. – Well, the wall might be a bit far.” Especially for someone who just wasn’t a photograph person. Dipping into her bag for her phone, Madeleine found the message and underlined the words ‘I’m sorry’ with her thumbnail, lowering it for Knight to see. Somehow she doubted he could read it. “There.” He could examine a screen he could only see in black and white if he wanted.
Madeleine relaxed noticeably when told that yes, Zaviar was in one piece – or thought he was. But the mention of his shoulder hurting was enough to etch hints of concern back into her expression. He had been gone long enough to not be injured by usual standards. The idea that he had injured himself – or that something else had injured him – enough for there to still be some level of pain was not comforting. It bothered her immensely that he had no way of knowing what had happened. What if it happened again? As a recurring thing. Someone or something following him. Yes, she was entering the realms of sheer paranoia, but it was plausible. “Only tender?” Just so she was sure he wasn’t picking a word that wouldn’t worry her further. Otherwise she was fine with being more or less herded towards the kitchen. It left her mind free to dwell on, well, Zaviar. “Mm? No, I’m alright. It’s drier in here and that person’s garden was offensive,” she waved it away. Gardening wasn’t her thing, but it was her mother’s, so she did have some taste. “But if you ever move house, I am making sure you have at least two fireplaces before you move in.” That was just a fact. Madeleine couldn’t believe houses actually came without them. Especially considering the winters around here. The kiss earned a small smile. “Very. I haven’t eaten yet.” She almost looked guilty for that. It seemed to worry people even though she had had a perfectly legitimate reason.