[A pause, in which he stared almost blankly back for a moment before the weight on his shoulder made him sigh and brought his glance to his knees.]

It is good that one of us speaks bluntly. There's no cause for alarm-- I'm quite well. [Physically, at least. He had been sleeping in near-regular patterns since returning, and eating normally again by now. His mind and his emotions, however, were still in the same heightened sense of distress that they were when he'd gotten lost; and as they sometimes were just within his daily life, even in Paris.

Folding his hands one over the other, he finally agreed,]

But I do have something I've a want to discuss. You had made the offer and it was-- it was kind of you, and I hope you will not be put out by my accepting it?