Privately, Greta thinks 'Baronet' has a rather nice ring to it no matter how much actual money the wielder has in his pockets. She doubtless sets the bar lower than he would, though.

And she does have some experience with fathers leaving an unfortunate sort of inheritance to their sons. A shabby house might not be as bad as a literal Curse -- but then again, the sort of house Thomas probably lived in would have been a sight harder to keep up than a bakery. Especially with no money for staff.

"I'm sorry," she says, and she does look sympathetic. "That can't have been an easy thing to get off the ground, especially working from scratch." She's tempted to ask how on earth he funded it all, but she doesn't have to be one of the gentry to know that it's rude to discuss finances in such detail, especially with a new acquaintance.

There's another direction in which she could take things, and while she doesn't especially look forward to it, she knows she'll have to out with it sooner or later. She might as well take the opening while it's presented itself. "My husband inherited a Curse, so I know a little of what that's like."