[ the hand that hasn't closed around the glass now raises in an uncharacteristic gesture of...capitulation, if not quite surrender. sharpe shakes his head, sudden and emphatic. ]

Don't mistake me, Lieutenant. [ distance. ] There was no funny business. If anything, the whole affair was deeply uncomfortable for the pair of us. Having a la-- [ lass. best not to be so cavalier. ] Having anyone appear in your room, as if from thin air, is a troubling experience.

[ he's talking a lot. it's odd. disquieting, almost. so he takes a deep drink. ] I'm telling you this, you see, as a gesture of good will.

[ he'd almost said 'good faith', but the play on words was laughable. what sharpe is driving at is that he's keen to lay these cards on the table in the hopes that he might gain some scrap of a blessing.

a blessing to do what, though? well. he ain't certain yet. ]