"He'll probably be too busy."
"I will ask just the same."
"I have already received his permission to escort you."
"If he can eat the fish three days in a row, I can too.
Besides, I need to spend some time with him."
"He won't be here." Austin rubbed his chin. "Didn't he tell you that he will be going aboard another ship that is heading for Kingston? We will be retrieving him tomorrow morning."
"It would have been nice of him to tell me."
"Actually, he did say he planned to tell you. I just got ahead of things." Austin bowed his head. "I apologize."
"It appears that you will have a dinner partner for the evening, since I can't bear the thought of another plate of fish--or eating alone."