She reached out and lay a hand on Joe's arm, "No, we are all tired but I don't want anybody to go to bed angry." She sighed through her nostrils and said, "Might I make tea while you deal with your son, mum? I promise to clean up after myself. I am sure you could use a break, though... You look weary and I don't blame you for feeling so... what, with how Joe and I did something rash," she paused and sighed, "I do apologize for my part in this." She was already up and looking for the things to make tea. "But... ahh, here we are..." she paused and moved to fill the kettle. "Please put your feet up, mum, while I do the work." She paused again and then turned to them all, a spoon in her hand, "I think we could all use a cup of tea, hmm? I know it's late, I know we're tired, but we have explaining to do and leaving now will only delay that."

She then turned to the kettle and moved to put it on the stove. If it needed lighting, she lit it without asking for help. "Now then. It was a mutual idea to run away to Gretna Green. He did it to save me from my wretched family... my mother does not... well... And my father... I love him dearly but he cannot ask me to live under the same roof as her. And then I went to London for a time and came home, and I was upset because I didn't want to deal with my family... And he came along."

She sniffed and then paused as the kettle whistled, and she pulled it off just as it barely did so... She set the kettle down and began to steep the tea. "My brother is a disgusting man. He is the one who wrote the letter complaining about the behavior that Joseph exhibited toward me even though it was completely innocent." She turned around and lifted her palms up.

"My father gave him a job as compensation as well as permission to court me and wed me on the condition he did his job well. My brother took over the job he took away from Joe." She paused and swallowed, then started to pour the tea.