"My dear brother, you've finally returned!"
Upon hearing Mathilde Bonaparte's sarcastic tone, Jerome Bonaparte showed a helpless expression on his face.
He certainly understood that his sister was displeased with him not visiting her proactively. After all, it's he who is getting married, not Mathilde. The bride (from the Kingdom of Wurttemberg) had already been sent to their doorstep, yet he was unwilling to meet her at the first opportunity. It was indeed inconsiderate of him.
"I'm truly very sorry!" To prevent his sister from further "sarcasm," Jerome Bonaparte immediately softened and apologized, saying, "I was just discussing some financial matters with Minister Mane..."
Once again, Jerome Bonaparte brought up Mane as a shield. This provided a good explanation for the delay due to Vilnius' crying.
