And one glance at her face showed him he had erred and badly, and his face fell, as he turned to cut her a piece of pie.
"I am sure that with your assistance, the lab-work can be made to increase and get more effective. I find I am... not so good at concentrating of late. And someone more ground and yet more able to grasp such will likely be needed to ensure these efforts of science do continue. I am glad they are things you are interested in."
he turned to give her a piece and a fork, a smaller smile in place.
"Science has ever been my passion and my life... far more than it should be, perhaps. It occludes me to the rightful perception and sensitivity I should give unto others." An apology, of sorts, followed by a more real one.