Steve's answer -- dinnertime is fine; I need to buy yeast and good mozzerella anyway -- was on the tip of his tongue when Lyra continued her statement with a lie about seeing the elves. Normally he'd have let a lie like that slide; the poor girl obviously just needed some time alone. Maybe it was that he was new here and still trying to find out where he stood. Maybe he was just tired. He didn't know, but even as he spoke the words, he knew he was making a mistake.