In his whole prodigious memory, he could only recall one instance where he verbally addressed her as "my dear".
It had been years before, and to be honest, he was being a bit condescending because she thought she'd been able to fool him with her feeble attempts at fibbery.
In the previous twelve years, his heart had called her "my dear" a million and two times. When he did, he thought of how one day he'd be free of his silly hang-ups and would allow his tongue to say it with sincerity.
Then she left with Pike.
Goodbye, my dear.