He does not want to take her arm, does not want to accept that undeniably loaded invitation. He is also unwilling to accept what she is saying, the tone in which she says it - and, perhaps most of all, that part of him that stirs in response to it, whether he will or no.
But he is nothing if not dutiful, and nothing if not polite; and he cannot leave her holding her arm out in expectation, waiting. Red-faced and with his blood pounding in his ears, he takes her arm gingerly and begins to steer her towards the rented rooms that are, indeed, not all that far from here.
"You will need to be quiet." He is all too aware of the absurdity of scolding a creature of the night as though he has any means to enforce his demands. Then again, perhaps he does - he has something she wants, after all. "My landlady does not approve of guests at this time of night." Least of all female ones, although he doubts she would evict him for it - indeed, he has a suspicion that she worries about their lack. Still, he agreed when renting a bachelor's rooms that he would not bring loose women home, and he is, historically, more a man of his word than this.
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But he is nothing if not dutiful, and nothing if not polite; and he cannot leave her holding her arm out in expectation, waiting. Red-faced and with his blood pounding in his ears, he takes her arm gingerly and begins to steer her towards the rented rooms that are, indeed, not all that far from here.
"You will need to be quiet." He is all too aware of the absurdity of scolding a creature of the night as though he has any means to enforce his demands. Then again, perhaps he does - he has something she wants, after all. "My landlady does not approve of guests at this time of night." Least of all female ones, although he doubts she would evict him for it - indeed, he has a suspicion that she worries about their lack. Still, he agreed when renting a bachelor's rooms that he would not bring loose women home, and he is, historically, more a man of his word than this.