Her book is quickly stowed when he returns and she shakes her head at his question. "No, thank you. I like it just the way it is." She carefully picks up the container of tea and puts it away before turning back to him with a smile.

"I never asked what you would be doing, so this may be a terrible question depending on what your family does, but how did the holidays treat you? And you didn't... get in any trouble for accepting my gift, did you?" In this case, she's not just thinking about Verity, because she has no idea how his sister would react to finding out he has an artifact like that.