It might have been best, yeah, but she'll work with what they've got. She smiles up at him when he holds out his hands for her. She's getting stronger, and soon she won't need help to get up, but she can imagine this just being a thing they do, even when it's not strictly necessary. She takes his hands and rises, then holds onto his arm for stability.

"Oh," she says to Beard with eyebrows raised. "He is an amazing chess player. I can't even tell you how many people in New York owe him favors because he's beaten them at chess."