Frederic swallowed back words he knew he shouldn't say. The look in her eyes clearly beseeched him to tell her if she should go or stay, but he didn't know what would be right in that regard. On one hand, he considered her babies- but they were with a neighbor, hadn't she said? And truth be told, he didn't want her to go. At all. Propriety barely crossed his mind. Surely the pie would get cold, he suddenly thought, and the slight inconvenience of it made up his mind. "Would you- would you like to see how a grandfather clock works?" he asked and gestured to the clock he'd been fixing a few minutes ago as Clover finally let go of their legs.