It is evidently the correct amount of distance to maintain. Surely by this point, Strange has gathered how Ralston uses the line of that borrowed cane to enforce his personal boundaries; here, he makes no move to fetch the thing up to ward him off. Instead, Ralston simply crosses his leg ankle over knee and shears a segment from his half of the orange. There is some figment of—good humor is not the right light to cast in it. But something near to that. A dog recently loosed from its leash to run still keeps some of that elastic energy even after he has been called back to the chain.

"Perhaps I've just been after some quiet place to think in. Rather a lot to consider these days."

And perhaps he is the crown prince of the Second Chair.

He eats a sliver of orange and asks, "Did you enjoy our trip?"