I mean I honestly and regularly despair of the fact that so many people DO trust Pearl so this is a completely logical/normal reaction. If she picked up on him being ACTUALLY uncomfortable she'd back off but would still look for chances to be relentlessly (I just typed relentlyss completely unconsciously, send help) friendly at him.

GOD, Lyle doesn't have a DEAL, guys. (He does.) But yesss, he'd definitely still stick around cause he'd find Jude interesting TOO and might from time to time when it got too psychoanalytic start narrating Jude's actions like a famous book hero as a distraction. OR SIMILAR.