Maria squeezing his hand was the sort of reaction that Aligoté had hoped for, because it confirmed that their unspoken communication -- which admittedly, had never been their strong suit in the past and caused more than one misunderstanding -- had done as intended to reassure.

He kept Fayt's attention on him a moment longer, both to answer the man's question and also to give Maria another moment. "That's her all right, an' don't let her fun attitude fool you, she's got a temper to behold," he replied loftily. "In all seriousness though, and don't take this the wrong way, but she might only be showing everyone else including you the side that her and Albel figured might work best as her 'entrance' here."