She let out a huff at that, but did not respond immediately. What could she say to a man who had, in effect, lost his freedom? It would be foolish, Rufina knew, to expect him to feel particularly celebratory—Merlin knew she didn't, and she was not the one who had been crippled!—but he was so exasperating nonetheless. Ernest had endured a terrible ordeal and, by all accounts, had months (if not years!) of adjustment ahead of him. So too, though, had his family. The very least he could do was make an effort.

"And who does it serve, Ernest, your hiding away in here?" Rufina asked after a long moment. "Certainly not your children, true, but I daresay even you do not benefit from it. To what end, then, must you be so obstinate?"