[He really is getting closer to his limit, and he has to focus his concentration on holding his hand steady so Zelda won't feel it shaking. He should've guessed this would happen, but now that it has, he really doesn't have the kind of ready-made excuses that tided him over in public appearances back home.]

Well, you see--! [CLEARS HIS THROAT WHILE HE THINKS OF SOMETHING. He's so bad at lying, he's much better at just... conveniently omitting information. So:]

Something very important came up! I need to go handle it at once! Please understand, it isn't that I want to leave!