[ sonia actually laughs at that. cheerfully: ]

No, not at all. They both detest him.

[ she's happy to help, really wants to help, but all she can give him is a shrug with a very apologetic look -- the sort of look she'd turn on byerly or another man just to do it on purpose, but not quite, tinted something else by the fast-penta. ]

I don't know. They don't tell me anything. [ she brightens. ] Or maybe that's why. Isn't it more convincing that way?