[Here, she laughs as if he's said something very funny indeed, followed by a loud 'Ha!' meant for someone almost certainly nowhere near this room. She follows both with shoving another piece of cheese into her mouth.]

Well, I'm very glad to hear it - particularly in a sense which is so strictly professional. But you know, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case for lots of people. I expect that's part of why there is so much conversation about fair treatment and what's to be done after the war as if we've already won it, and even all this business with the Divine - I imagine a great many people are frightened and just good at pretending not to be. Or maybe simply don't realize that they are.

It seems - and you must excuse me for being ignorant; I've done all kinds of reading, but there's far too much - like a great many things are changing and everyone who knew what they were supposed to do or how they were meant to do it have suddenly found themselves flush with the need to make brand new decisions and so on. I imagine that would make anyone argumentative. Why, I can hardly choose what to wear in the morning without bickering with myself about it first!

[Wysteria, you're rambling. But how can she help it! It was a very fine compliment he'd given her.]

Which is all only to say that no one has any idea what they're doing, I don't think. So knowing what it feels like to feel ill-equipped seems... --hold on, I've come at this the wrong way around. What I mean is that anyone who with nerves is someone who has cared to think about things a bit. And that seems good, particularly in a person with a job to do.

[A pause. She squints first at the ceiling, and then at him.]

--Did any of that make sense whatsoever? It was meant to be encouraging.