Mary poured the tea silently, lifting the strainer away and handing Merlin a cup. "Milk, sugar and honey are there, if you'd like," she offered.
"I really don't believe he does," she added, as she poured her own tea. "He has spoken to me about you on several occasions. He - he wasn't sure what to think, given what he'd found out about you since arriving here. It all made him confused, you see, and not certain where you stood with each other now. But he definitely doesn't think you are useless."