If there's a flicker of irritability over mention of Vane, it dies just as promptly as it appears. Fine. If half the world knows it, why not Charles Vane as well? That they've been squabbling while trapped at anchor makes no great difference to the truth in that.

"If that was your interest, I can't imagine what you could possibly have gained by being honest about your--" Hm. "This."

And here, finally, he pivots to ask a proper question that has nothing to do with his part in this, this has nothing to do with her climbing through the Walrus' stern windows. That has everything to do with the knit of muscle and bone and the how of why that is possible. "Where does it come from? Your blackwater that you've agreed to surrender to them."