"Morra," Caractacus replied immediately, running a hand over his queen, who looked up at him in trepidation in her black face, "So many new strategies." So then he would master the Morra and Al would see some real cheating. It was a good arrangement.
Al's next question spoiled Caractacus's strategizing as he simply looked at Al over the black-and-white board. He seriously did not know? Al had not performed even basic research into his life before trusting him? Caractacus had assumed that given the company Al kept that the other man had known and simply had no issue with Caractacus's future self.
"Yes, Al," Caractacus still wasn't certain if this was not, in and of itself, part of some sort of grand, overarching chess plan on Al's part, "I, or rather the future me, opened the shop with a Housemate of mine."