Sophie looked beautiful. Well, Sophie always looked beautiful, of course, but in that dress she looked particularly beautiful. And he didn't like it.
"What do you think Howl?" She held up her skirts and did a small twirl. It was a white-satiny fabric with blue and pink embroidered flowers running across the hem. "Does it suit me?"
"Not at all!" he cried, acting aghast as he rushed over to her. "Sophie! Why this one! It completely draws attention away… from those lovely eyes…" he then proceeded to loop an arm around her waist and dip her slightly, staring at her face. Sophie was not amused.
"Howl," she began with the tone. "If you have wasted all our money again on one of your ridiculous outfits-"
"No, no, no! All I am saying is-" he cast a look to his left that Sophie missed. "I think a simpler dress would match you better – ah, that is to say-" she was giving him the scowl now. "You don't need… pretty dresses… to make you pretty?"
Sophie put her hands on her hips.
"You're not doing a very good job," Michael pointed out conversationally from the shop window seat. But Sophie did appear to have changed her mind as she looked down uncomfortably at her dress.
"It is a bit over the top…" she began slowly.
"Extremely." Howl intervened. "It doesn't match you at all. Perhaps something of a green?"
"Yes, yes," Sophie mumbled. "I do like green…" she then wandered back to the dressing room, chewing her lip. Michael rolled his eyes.
"Is this you being overprotective Master Howl?"
"Not at all Michael," he replied stiffly. "Not at all. Ah!" he exclaimed, arms thrown wide as Sophie resurfaced wearing a considerably more modest dress, buttoned to the throat and wrist. "Perfect!"
"Are you su-"
"Absolutely. Never more sure of myself. In fact we don't even have to go to the play, we can stay at the castle. I know you were worried that Calcifer would be lonely."
"But you wanted to-"
"Changed my mind! Come on Michael, hurry up! Let's go. To be honest Sophie I was worried I had upset you ever since we left."
"Oh you were not-"
"Yes I was! Am! Still am! Absolutely beside myself I've been, haven't I Michael?"
"He has."
"I couldn't bear to see you unhappy, my dearest Sophie-"
"Howl."
"He's been moping ever since he left, Sophie."
"I have."
"Howl."
"Yes, my sweetest little mouse?"
"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the group of men who were outside the shop window, would it?"
"Not at all Sophie, not at all. Now, I'm thinking a picnic at the flower garden near the Wastes?"