[Poorly, but he supposes he'll manage.]

My ear's still recovering, but now more frostbite after the first brush. I think I could do without losing the rest of it, really, or ruining my other ear to match. Fiona got me a pair of earmuffs to help with it.

[There's a pause.]

They're very pink.

[But real men wear pink. Probably. Real, non-frostbitten men.]

I'm as all right as I can be. I take it you read everything, then?