Katherine looked carefully between Eward and Daphne, very ill at ease. It was clear that Daphne noticed something was amiss, for she had never before witnessed the pair of them being civil to one another, least of all in an easily uncivil atmosphere. And Katherine was aware that her best friend knew her well enough to sense when she was not herself. And she was quite obviously not herself around Eward these days.
Flashing quite a cold glance at Eward for his daring to be so chivalrous, a dead giveaway, Katherine interjected on Daphne's behalf. "For goodness sake, Lord Eward, have you forgotten the way you treated Miss Wexley just minutes ago? I daresay the flattery will get you nowhere, and you best not try it." Katherine's breathing was heavy, as if resorting to her old bitterness towards Eward was a burden and a pain. "We know you well enough to know when your compliments are empty and out of the need to appear gentlemanly only," Katherine added, her voice more stinging than usual, perhaps to overcompensate.