[ He hadn't counted on her being this perceptive, on seeing right through him so easily. Angus swallows heavily, caught off guard by the unexpectedly emotional gesture, and squeezes her hand back. ]

I... th-thank you Ma'am. I appreciate that.

[ He pipes up again a moment later, with all the tentative apprehension of someone poking at a cavity to see how bad the damage is. ]

... You're not upset? That I didn't tell you? This feels like something that I should've mentioned earlier, maybe.