"I don't know if it happens often, but it does happen more than occasionally. I've met Isaac and Oliver and Dorian all here in Oxford at one point, though all in different places."

He swings Aloysius up into his arms, content to believe that the technical matters are out of the way and happy to get onto the more interesting subjects. His eagerness is that of a child about to open a long-anticipated present. "You never said where you were. Somewhere beautiful, I'd hope. Is it on Earth or are you somewhere completely different?"