"Yes," he says firmly, "it is what I was doing. She asked me to look at Midnight, so I did. I told her the truth. I found nothing but people who wanted to be heard. No dramatic plots to overthrow her. I wrote her pages of observation telling her exactly that, and when she asked my advice I told her to try listening."

He takes a breath again, drops his eyes away.

"I did what I could. I'm sorry it wasn't enough."