She succeeded — Arthur visibly squirmed, his face pulling an expression somewhere between a smile and a grimace. He glanced down at Gwenog, who was still happily focused on the gingerbread man.

"Of course we're still married," Arthur said — pleasant, but in an undertone, because he particularly did not want to be overheard in this moment. It was one thing to talk to Ester Montgomery; it was another to talk to Ester Montgomery about his marriage.

Neither were particularly good.

And because Arthur's mouth had always run faster than his sense, he added: "Why wouldn't we be?"