It's impossible for her to tell how honest Andrew's intentions are, not with nothing to go on but their slightly muffled voices. On the other hand, it doesn't really matter. The best case scenario looks an awful lot like the worst: men from ROMAC steadfastly refusing to believe that she - the sole transplant from her universe and the smartest girl in her whole class, maybe the smartest hungry child in all of England - could possibly have considered more ways to contain what she carries than whatever occurs to them within five minutes of meeting her.

That's bad enough. But his apparent unwillingness to take Aziraphale at his word is one insult too many.

"Of course it's everyone's best option," she says shortly. "Aziraphale can keep me safer than anyone else can. He's been doing it for weeks. And it works because he listens to me instead of treating me like a stupid child who doesn't know what's best."