Re: 9:45ish
"That's called harassment, sweetheart, not bossing," he corrected lightly. He snorted at the proposal comment. "Only if he has any bloody sense. Mary's a fine girl, she'll whip any boy into shape if he lets her." He raised his beer to her in a bit of a salute.
He snorted again at the mention of the redheaded harlot of housekeeping. She'd been sniffing around him more than once, but he'd managed to get away. Mae was never finding about that, even if he wouldn't mind if she were one of the ones who bloody well disappeared. No one would be the wiser if she was helped along that way.
Cath grinned a very naughty grin at Mary's squeak at the ligature marks. Wasn't the first time one or both of them had been sporting them. He returned the kiss fully, not giving a damn what anybody thought of their age difference. She was his bloody wife, they could naff off.