Ahhh, damn it, she thought. He hadn't needed to see her trying not to weep. She did not answer right away and moved to put some distance between them, backing up until she realized her back was against the counter. Ruth turned away and nearly stumbled back toward the seat she had vacated. "I'm quite alright, sir," she said. It was a blatant lie and it would not be hard at all for him to discern that just by the sound of her voice, how it was throatier than normal. She tried and was starting to fail in schooling her expression so it was neutral and that would be that.