Really, Dorian. If you're going to lie, don't do it so clumsily.

[Nosy little housewife? Domestic associations aside (that was another concern, entirely), Chilton truly doubted that Dorian disdained Chilton's methodology of gossip. The immortal simply disdained the topic.

And Chilton was eliminating reasons as to why.]

Possessive in the controlling sense, not necessarily sexual. Let me reframe: you value your liberty. Do you value the same liberty in others?