The phrasing of that question strikes her as strange. Martha doesn't really depart or arrive, so much as linger outside and hope that no one catches her doing so. The least said about all this, though, the better. "Neither, really. I was just passing by."

If there's something that Buckingham wants to talk to her about, then they can do it somewhere else. Martha's paranoid that one of her family members is going wander by any time now, and so she starts down the corridor back in the direction of the entrance hall.

"What did you have on your mind?" she asks as they walk. Martha endeavors to remain slightly ahead of Buckingham in her stroll, a conscious effort to avoid close contact.