He entertained these thoughts awkwardly, as a man entertains unexpected guests. Then, as he reached his objective, he pushed these thoughts away, as a man apologizes to his guests, and leaves them, muttering something about a prior engagement.
Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess's Stardust: Being a Romance Within the Realms of Faerie (ed. Vertigo, 2007) - ISBN: 9781401211905