Ben might have noticed her shift in mood had he not been more or less pouting himself over the idea that Aldous and Roman might have had him well and truly whipped since his return from Canada. Had it seemed that way to everyone else, or was Ellory just assuming that because she hadn't really been around to interact with him? Maybe he'd ask Art about it, he thought, but Art would just tell him he was still Ben and not to worry, even if he had gotten tame and boring since Canada. When Art had come to visit they'd gone off on a dog-sledding adventure, but Ben hadn't done anything like that since his return. What had he been doing? Nothing of import, really. Shit.

"So write whatever you want," he said rather indifferently. The matter of signing letters that did not yet exist was the least of his worries at the moment.