Grave.

"Samantha could handle that but not this: You bringing her into your bedroom from yesterday until now does not sit well with her mood. Samantha might be reserved and pretty much slow to talk but she is no fool. And neither am I."

Rochester swallowed her words raw as they hit his tongue, choosing to stay with the sour taste for as long as the moment lasted. 

"I don't think that you should continue with this madness," said Eloise. "It would be good if you considered how your reckless decisions could put the family name at stake."

"There is nothing, though," Rochester began. "Absolutely nothing wrong about my actions. Hazel, being my guest, can stay anywhere I would want her to be in this house. In this case, however, she was sick and had fainted. It was only natural I kept better watch over her. Samantha's emotion should not matter in this case."

"What if I told you it should? That her emotions should matter?"