Am I just remembering this wrong or misheard this and filed it under "valid syntax"? Meaning "a little bit unusual". I google and everything either says "might be unusual" or makes reference to unusual mites (as in, tiny arachnids).
be aware a mite unusual is generally used ironically to mean completely unusual ... like a tad... you might say we need to just nudge it forward a tad meaning a little bit... but if it say started to rain herring you'd probably say "hmm thats' a tad/mite unusual "
In this case, yes, the irony is in full gear. The relates to the scene I mentioned in the other thread, at the docks. Victoria notices that there is far too much in the way of typical provision and that there is a team of carpenters present who shouldn't be here. She declares her observations to Chippy, one of the crew and someone she knows, and he gives her the line in question. Something's afoot.
It must be mite. It's used 10 times more than might, as in 'mite bit peculiar.' It's strange to me that it's not listed as an adverb in any dictionary. 'Bit' shows up as an adverb. 'Mite' is a synonym for the noun 'bit.' But that's all I see.