These words surprise Caroline so that, just as she is about to take a sip of tea, she stills with the teacup a breadth away from her parted mouth. Not wanting to accidentally spill any tea on her dress, Caroline slowly lowers the teacup on its saucer with a clink, then flickers her gaze upwards to meet Joseph's. ❝ No ? ❞ she says, widening her eyes, and there is a note of confusion, in the tone of her voice, that in any other occasion she would have preferred to hide, but today she lets it sound clear, genuine.
Of course it was not the truth, at least not completely. In her answer to his inquiry about so and such, there was some truth, but it was well hidden underneath everything else she told him, and she is not going to unearth it for him just yet. No, indeed, not so easily, not when what he said caught her attention, usually so volatile, and she is not going to let it go, not before she finds out how. How can he tell she was not truthful ? What gave it away ? Did he already know, before asking ? Was it a trap of some sort ? All this and more Caroline wonders to herself, not daring to give voice to any of it. ❝ Pray tell me, mister Chandler, ❞ she says, leaning a bit forward, and a line appears between her brows as she furrows them. ❝ What makes you think I did not tell you the truth ? ❞