[ Claire's patient, and she really does need to rethink her route so that she's nearer to home closer to dusk. So, that gives her time to wait, the silence filled by his work, and that's enough to fill the quiet. His answer does confirm her suspicions, though: he isn't from a modern time. ]

I've lived in cities and villages both, castles and huts. And I've slept on battlefields and boats for long stretches at a time. But the closest to home that I have now is like here: Living off of the land.

[ Although apparently it's now the deep woods, so she's closer to the mark than she knows with her home, here. ]