Yeah, bullshit you didn't, Ben thought rather cynically. He'd spoken before Aldous had the chance to, that was true, but Aldous' expression had asked for him. Even the fact that he was seated in the parlor waiting for Ben to return like Ben was a debutante who'd snuck out without a chaperone spoke volumes about how much he still, even after several days, didn't trust Ben.

He had to remind himself that Aldous was only doing what he thought was best — he wasn't out to get him, or to destroy his marriage. It wasn't Aldous' fault that this had all happened the way it had, and there was nothing to do but endure it. He couldn't tell Aldous what was going on, he couldn't tell Melody what was going on. Neither Aldous nor Melody was likely happy with him. That was just what he would have to live with, at least until his brother eventually allowed him to go back home, when he could hopefully start making headway with at least one of those two problems.

He helped himself to a drink from the sideboard and sat on one of the sofas across the room from Aldous. "So," he said, without further explanation. The unspoken question: Can I go home yet?