Could also mean that ‘honest John - not’ may have found it easier to reconcile; knowing ‘time’ here; was bracketed. Sounds brutal; but who knows. . .prefer to ‘walk around’ this speculaton; but Elizabeth did throw it out there.
I must admit I also wondered that I do not question her motives as she has many reasons why she would not want her marriage to end but for him he might well be thinking well it is also marking time.
I hope we are wrong for her sake but hearing that the meeting was so long it does sort of blew my theory of the 2 meetings being blackmail pay offs out of the window.