He moved to lean on the armchair nearest Ben's own, unwilling to relinquish the moral and literal high grounds but also wishing very much he had never stood up to begin with.

"And what am I to do with this information, Reuben?" he asked, exasperated. "It is one thing to elope—ill-conceived but not necessarily a disaster. But to elope with Miss Finch, a young woman whose station is above your own, whose father quite plainly detests you, and who, if I am not very much mistaken, had her engagement to one of my own colleagues announced not even a fortnight ago?!" As he spoke, Aldous became aware of how frenzied his words were becoming.

He took a sip of his brandy to buy him a moment to collect his thoughts—and to hopefully quiet the drumming of his heartbeat in his ears.

"I will not ask what you were thinking, for it is quite plain that you were not. The question then becomes what in Merlin's name do you intend be done about it?"