{ There's an amused scoff. }

Don't be absurd. As much as I adore the fact of a whole meeting of people talking about me, I doubt my presence will be of any use. Nor, I think, will my words be taken into any regard. I choose to spare myself the inconvenience of it.

{ And now his turn for a pause. }

Jonathan has taken on a lot in this matter, for which I am, of course, grateful, but I dislike seeing him suffer the blows on my behalf.