While Ladybird spoke Akakios tapped his quill to paper without actually writing one thing. He watched her, just waiting for her to give the sort of indication he was looking for. All he needed was a sign that she was lying or hiding something and he would have been off like a hound at it. She was good, though, as far as he could tell. She didn't seem nervous. She didn't seem angry anymore, either, and she wasn't the least bit fidgety. There was nothing, to his dismay, that he could see that would indicate her to be a bad liar.
"Rest assured your assistance is appreciated, Petal, and your time and efforts will be compensated. I do agree with you that it is better for any livestock of mine to be in the best of health and all that, but that really wasn't what I wanted to discuss with you," Akakios began again, setting down the quill and sitting up in his seat as he eyed her hand motions and the mark that was revealed to him. Narrowing his eyes a bit at it, he leaned to the side a bit to make sure he was actually seeing what he was seeing upon her. "You are still very much necessary, but I'm afraid I cannot in good conscience let you travel on foot at this hour, especially considering where you came from.
"I will make arrangements for you here. If you really have had such a long day you should be getting some rest. I wouldn't mind resuming this conversation after they've gotten breakfast in you tomorrow. To spare you some embarrassment, though, I must tell you that the mark upon your neck is quite unseemly. I understand the manner through which you received it is probably highly personal, but it does disappoint me you did not divulge its existence on your own. I thought we had an understanding between each other," he spoke with a sincere tone of regret, feeling betrayed already by what seemed to him to be a very vague sense of cooperation on her part. "And that speaks volumes about your relationship with your acquaintance.
"A proper room will be arranged for you to remain at, though, until we get all of these pesky details sorted out. After that you will be free to return home in all the safety that can be had in the sunshine." Akakios swept the sheet of paper off the table, folded it, then set it at the corner nearest to him, and the quill was set back in its proper place. After that he finally rose and rounded the table to offer the woman a hand up. He didn't even bat an eye at the potential for seeming rude with all of his muffled demands and comments about her.
"Have you yet dined tonight, though?"