"Perfect," he says, clearly delighted. He holds up one finger - "First, because spending time with Sonia is a treat. What a lovely person she is." That is said completely without irony; he seems, for all intents and purposes, to be completely sincere and genuine about it. "And second, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better ally anywhere. She'd be delighted to engage in a bit of deception, and you can be quite sure that she'll defend you with her very life."