His brow cocked at her immediate reply, at the strange bitterness and ire that laced her tone so heavily that even a sight sliver of shock pierced him. Belle was one of the most patient, if stubborn, women that he'd ever met, even after three centuries of living and dealing. And yet, despite all that, in the time she'd been here, she must have despised them for him to hear her voice so...grating to his ears. Further, if Belle had received a lodging from these people, like he had and like she stated others had, why was she not living there now?
The regulations they'd spoken of came to mind. Belle, after all, had a spirit freer than any measly songbird that flew over the mountains he dwelt in. Why, it was one of the very first things he'd heard from her once they made their fateful deal. No doubt, to be so stifled by this group and with such a very suspicious request had ruffled her feathers... Yet there had to be something a bit more. Belle never got this truly upset unless there was.
"And how long have you lived here to be able to explain all this?" His hands gestured, almost flourished, at the strange buildings around them, the strange metal boxes that...moved about the streets? And even the lights that flashed overhead, now red, now green, and even yellow..