"Well, er...I...yes, it is so," Cassio conceded with an awkward laugh, finding Bianca's meddling to be both endearing and tiring, and in the presence of company, slightly intimidating. It would not do to argue with the lady in public eye, and yet, he did not want her to come with him to the fortress. His personal life and his professional life were, quite frankly, distant kin, and it would not be meet for the general to see him in the company of this woman. Nor could he possibly conceive in his mind any circumstance under which Emilia would crave the company of said lady-Emilia certainly took pride in her upstandingness, and would surely find offense in any sympathy received from Bianca.
"But I think, Bianca, that you realize that it is not your place to decide whether this man deserves chastisement," Cassio told her, placing his hands on her shoulders, "and I assure you, the ensign's wife holds friend with the wife of the general, so you need not worry that she lacks a woman's empathies." He did not say anything about Bianca's social position, for it would not be appropriate to bring it up.
Cassio turned to Iago and the other soldier and smiled apologetically. His gaze rested upon the unfamiliar one for a moment.
"Were you one of the soldiers sent to look for him?" he asked the bearded fellow, figuring that perhaps Emilia might want to know the man who had found her husband. Remembering his manners, he extended a hand and introduced himself. "My name is Michael Cassio."