They were wrong. Simple words that he nonetheless hadn't expected to hear from her, even though he knew she didn't approve of what his uncle had done to him. His face clearly shows pleasant surprise... just before it turns to a flicker of something else.

He's used to disguising any weakness he might be feeling, so the sudden wave of nausea and dizziness (a sensation becoming frustratingly common as of late) wouldn't be noticeable to most people. But she's her, and she's touching him, and the chances of her not noticing are next to zero.

Still, he's not going to draw attention to it. "We both deserved better than we got."