When Cullen's demeanor seemed to stiffen and he discretely surveyed the room Ailbe began to catch on to her mistake. Of course in the fishing village she had always expected people to be nosy and listen in on their chats, but here in the big city she hadn't given it a second thought. Nobody had shown her much attention besides the scary man from before, and so she had assumed that city folk stayed out of one another's business. And now it was clear she had assumed wrong.
Shutting her mouth tightly, she tried her best to play along with him, though her heart fluttered angrily in her chest in humiliation. When he made the suggestive proposition she hoped that he did not really mean to do as he said, but it was something she would play along with until they were out from under prying eyes. She, too, needed to keep a low profile. So she blushed appropriately and ducked her head when he pulled her up and across the room towards the stairs, looking and feeling like a young harlot preparing to bed a strange man.
Once in the room Ailbe's eyes darted around, keeping her back to the door and appraising him nervously. Her hands clasped in front of her, fingers wringing together in her anxiety. Swallowing heavily, she spoke, "I... I'm s-sorry, mister, but..." She steeled herself, eyes both fierce and frightened. Squaring her quivering jaw, she forced herself to look him in the face, "B-but, seein' as my pa's business was helpin' you out, I thought you might know how to help me out. Look, I ain't lookin' for no trouble, promise, and I certainly ain't lookin' for you to help me like... like that..." She bit her lip as her eyes flitted to the bed, the furious blush of a virgin coloring her cheeks. "But, as I said, you're the best bet I have."