Jerome smiled slightly at his son. "Not at all, not at all. I just wanted to let you get it out of your system. I figured it best to let you handle the preliminary over-protective threats, and I'd cover the parts you missed." They had always been an efficient family. He leaned forward, folding his hands over the top of his cane and resting his chin on top of those. "I won't say anything about the man himself -- I've made my feelings for the honourless whelp quite clear in the past. What is important is your reaction to him, my dear." he said to his daughter. "As far as I know you want to avoid him like the plague. As long as this is still the case, I am satisfied in that, and in the knowledge that if the little whelp does step out of line my son will quite efficiently give him a good talking to." He did not encourage Alexander's temper, but in this case Jerome was terribly biased, and as long as it didn't resort to violence he was willing to look the other way.