When he fails to accept the pouch as well as the knife, Benevenuta is only briefly stymied; she is determined to give back all that she took, but she's not going to be lowered to pushing it into his hands and running away. Instead, she judges Max sufficiently charmed to be the much more cooperative, and placidly knots the leather strap of it to his collar as she speaks, saying,

"You are too kind, both," very demurely. She gives the pouch a little tug to be sure it isn't going to fall free (or loosen and spill coins), and then presses an affectionate kiss to Max's furrowed forehead by way of quick apology for the disturbance. "I found it very useful, yes. As did Lady Leblac - a healer, here, and a fellow member of the Council. I might tell her where to find you, if she wishes to borrow it from its proper owner and not myself."

She'd actually rather they never speak at all, if it were up to her, but Adelaide is going to be in her business about this - she might as well get out ahead of that, too, and maybe gently instilling a bit of wariness-by-association in him before she gets near can't hurt. (Though if the other mage isn't in one of her sharper moods, it probably won't long survive meeting her.)