He can see a bit of his aunt in the morality of the story, of what Elizabeth is saying. And, by extension -- the rest of his family; as Barrayaran as they are it's impossible not to see where her morals and that of Uncle Aral's coincide, and therefore bleed into the individuals they surround themselves with. Even Ivan, in his own way, although he keeps himself away from the politicking his entire family does as best as he can.

Ivan smiles all through the scene with Scrooge's nephew -- including the parts where he appreciates the amount of detail given to the niece by marriage and her sisters. Because, well, he's Ivan. His arm tightens around Elizabeth, however, as he settles more comfortably in the bed and against her, eyes flickering shut again. This is nice.

There's no need to say much until the Spirit of Christmas Future shows up, and Ivan can see where this is a ghost story more than the previous appearance of Scrooge's partner. He winces at the images of Scrooge dead, with no one to burn a death offering for him -- a Barrayaran tradition, to be sure, but the idea was there. He doesn't say anything until it resolves itself, and then he can't help but burst out at the revelation that the spirit became his bedpost "Wait, it was just a dream?"