It should come home to him just how long it's been since (she's been alive) he knew her. But this feels surprisingly natural. Even if it had been a long time since they had tea together before that Halloween. Still, easy to go on: e.g. he always had the theory that Lily was most comfortable when making others feel comfortable—happiest when giving care and being helpful—so instead of consigning her to idleness in the sitting room, he leads the way to the kitchen and says, "Care to choose two cups for us? Everything's a bit mismatched."