"Oh, would you? That would be so kind, Karkat." She smiles at him, clasping her hands. "I'll pay you back the moment I can, I promise. Oh, do they have lemon cakes? Lemon cakes were always my favourite."

She appreciates his sympathy, more than she could say even if she felt able to be entirely open and honest with anyone. It feels like an age since she could take someone even remotely at face value when they felt sorry for her. Even Ser Dontos had only helped her because she helped him first. She can't help but be suspicious, but she doesn't want to be, so she pushes that suspicion to the back of her mind and lets herself believe that he really does feel for her.