"I appreciate the recommendation. Near-death's a bit of a hungry business, I'm discovering."

He's answered with a smile of her own - there's something vaguely familiar about him, but she can't place it. Maybe it's the mustache. Still, she won't be shy about putting some meatballs on her plate - they can go next to the salad.

"But it's terribly kind of everyone to go to such lengths. I can only hope there'll be a chance to repay some of it sooner rather than later."