"Do you really think?" she asked in surprise, blushing prettily. She seemed to gain a small smile with that one. "Thank you. I just... I never had a chance to share it with others besides Joe and perhaps folks who deserved a pick-me-up..." She picked up the tea again and swallowed heavily, keeping her gaze averted from the fish. The tea was just the trick to keep the scent at bay... just enough to mask it. She would take her time cradling the cup close to her face. Besides, she always enjoyed just smelling the tea. "I know I tend to cook fancier things but... I learned from the cook. I preferred to hide in the kitchen than to spend time embroidering another sampler or reading a bland book. If I have to listen to another off-key piano performance from some socialite or another...." She paused, shook her head and then sipped from her cup. "To be honest, I think wealth is... Maybe it's like a competition for some. Who has the bluest blood? We're gentry, we're not aristocrats."