What is classed as a subtle emotion?

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A couple of days ago, the postman rang the doorbell, by the time I'd got downstairs and through two sets of locked doors he'd just stuffed a card through the door for me to collect the item, because it needed signing for.

When I opened the door with the card in my hand, he said in what I thought was a level voice, something like "oh, I just wrote that out, I'm in a rush today". and something about his postal round.

I said something jovial about him being busy because it was Christmas, and laughed, signed the machine and took the parcel.

He then said "sorry I got annoyed" which took me by surprise because I hadn't seen any sign that he was annoyed. I then thought maybe he was seething and stressed and worried I'd report him to his bosses and that this was why he said the last bit, but I genuinely hadn't noticed he was annoyed.

Do NTs hide their annoyance to that level that you can't tell, or was this a case of me missing obvious signals? Is there such a thing as a subtle display of annoyance or other emotions? I mean how are you supposed to know when it's so subtle that you can't pick it up?

I thought he was mumbling about being busy just to make conversation, but apparently he was annoyed and believed I had noticed. I thought I was OK at picking up things like annoyance, happiness, heavy sarcasm (although not if it's veiled so much) and sadness etc. Now I'm questioning whether I am as OK as I thought.

its a little of both

his annoyance was in "i just wrote that out"

watch the show lie to me for some tips

...but how was his voice not apparently (to me) sounding annoyed, because he thought that he had showed his annoyance because he apologised?

it may not be in the tone, it could be an accompanying facial expression.

Maybe he was annoyed but it did not come through (no one would have thought he was annoyed) and he did not realize it was concealed.

very possible. Good point.

I actually don't like when people apolagize for no reason.

I don't notice annoyance, generally.