That he had personally attracted the English soldier would never have occurred to him. [...] ...this young man, to whom he had been so unusually attracted... What can I even say to this?

I think DKB is going for 'charmingly modest' here, but honestly Ewen is coming across as a bit oblivious to me. Someone like you, Ewen are you so very accustomed to this that you can't recognise it in an opponent? :/