“Will you have a little ham?” said Hero, quite dismayed by his forbidding aspect.
“No, I thank you, I will not.”
“Or — or some more coffee?”
“No,” said the Viscount, retiring once more into the paper.
Hero fortified herself with a few sips of her own coffee. She tried again. “Sherry?”
“Well, what is it now?”
“N-nothing!” said Hero, on a distinct sob.
“For heaven’s sake,” said his lordship, “don’t start to cry!”
“Perhaps I had best g-go out of the room then, because I c-can’t help crying when you’re so dreadfully unkind to me!” offered Hero.
“I’m not unkind to you.”