A stubborn man is a determined one,” Claudius laughs. “Susan and I have sharp, wary minds. We assess and reassess the people we meet according to our own private criteria. Someone who is stubborn, loyal, and straightforward has a way of getting past our defenses … there’s someone we can rely on.” Claudius gives him a wry sideways look. “If we’d met in different circumstances, perhaps I wouldn’t have had my defenses so far up.”