Jean-Claude offers the other vampire a secretive smile as Joscelin gripes to him about his choice of time, but does not explain himself. He merely motions the pair of them to step further out into the gardens together, ostensibly to enjoy the fresh air together.

"Mon ami," he says to start, carefully sensing where the sun is in the sky so that he is not timing this too close for comfort. "When contemplating what it was that I could give you on such an occasion as your six hundred and eightieth birthday, in the end I knew there was only one answer to such a question."

He stops them in the middle of the garden and places his hand on Joscelin's shoulder, so much as to stop him as it is to turn him to face him. A gentle smile on his lips as he goes on to carefully ask the little vampire.