[Lyall knew that was coming, and he winces just a little as he shakes the boy's hand quite seriously. Then he shuts the door, and explains:]

She isn't my ferret, lad. Stella is her own person. But I'm glad you're her friend. I'm not available as often as I'd like to keep her from getting bored enough to destroy my furniture or leave fur in my sink.

[He shoots Stella a mildly amused look at that. He's mostly teasing her, since he's the one more likely to actually destroy furniture, of the two of them.]