"He knows, or could know if he cares to remember, that I'm Riftwatch's seneschal. So I think the best play is probably in charge of purchasing decisions by wary of being taken in with regards to quality. Let him save me from the other cheats out there hoping to take advantage. Will that suit?" A genuine question, not perfunctory. If nothing else, he appreciates the importance of being on the same page as one's allies. (On the other hand, take too long talking about it, and the picture might shift from "chatting" to "plotting" for onlookers.)