"I have already heard wonderful things of your work.  You have no worries there."  He assured her.  "I am fairly straight forward with my thoughts and critiques about any work around the stables especially.  I try to be equally straight forward on praise for good work being done.  Again, something I get from my pa.  Though, as a teenager, I think I got more of the negative, justified, than the positive."  He grinned and looked at Heidi.  "I may be up for a challenge when she gets older if she is anything like I was."

"Karen."  He said with a soft tone.  "I can do that."  His eyes going to hers and then looking away to the table. 

He was feeling relaxed and comfortable there.  In the big house, it was his home and with Heidi it was busy.  However, it was so quiet when she was down for the night.  He felt alone and would find work to do to fight it.  He missed Cressida.  He thought of her and took a deep breath.  She would be proud of what he was creating for Heidi there.  He knew that.  But she would not be happy that he was working himself to exhaustion to fall asleep.

Lorn shook his head.  "You did nothing out of line. You were pressed into it by my little busybody here."  He wiped down Heidi's face and let her down as she seemed done.  "And I let her talk me into it.  So, if anyone did something wrong it was me.  Little Miss is the boss, I think."  He winked.

Then he got up and picked up Heidi's things to go to the sink so he could wash them.  He paused by Karen's chair.  "You stay there.  You need a break.  I've brought extra work.  I can only help with some of it."  He said firmly, but with a smile.

Then he continued after a brief pause.  "I have liked being here with you and the twins too.  I've got a house full of help and Heidi, but something is missing.  If it weren't for Heidi there, I'd likely stay in the stable.  This evening, I haven't felt like I needed to stay busy.  It's been peaceful, not just in the room, but inside my mind."  He wasn't sure how to put it, and he felt a bit awkward saying it out loud. He went on over to the sink and washed the items, thinking that she likely thought he was foolish.

Turning around, he looked over to where Heidi had plopped down near the twins seeming to know to be quiet while they were sleeping and playing with one of their toys.  Then he went over to the table.  "We can head on out and get out of your way.  We do thank you for the good meal."  He said figuring they were a bother and he had made a fool of himself with what he had said.