She is barking the absolutely worse tree possible, even. Childermass just stares at her for her outburst for a moment, a brief one, and then shifts his weight from one foot to the other again. A little bit his fault? Really?

"It is," he won't argue against that, although his voice has dropped into an icy tone, as if she's finally testing his patience here. "That this stinks, as you say, that's implied. The rest... We needed that rose. I needed to make sure the Prince wasn't paying attention to me. Should I have asked someone else, Ms. Peridot?"

How do gems even address one another? Who knows. He just goes with what he knows.

"Who would you have put in danger in place of the Nightrider? Steven, perhaps? I'm sure he would have tried his hardest, had I asked him instead."