[A soft laugh in return, at that. Well-- Albert still had some maturing to do, and plenty of time in which to do it. All signs pointed to a sunny future, in that regard. ...Space ship aside.]

I think I would like him very much, yes. He must have had quite a fondness for you too, enough to see how much you clearly do appreciate him, despite what you say. If it is obvious to me that you care, then it must have been nothing to your very clever law student to notice it too.