Strange is just having a hard time wrapping his head around Steven's confusion. Why would he ask what curse, he's here, he should know what curse he's talking about! (Except Steven's not supposed to be here, a voice in Strange's head points out. Which is silly, because he is here, so how can that happen in the first place?)

"A curse that the faerie laid down, the one with thistledown hair and a coat the color of leaves. Norrell and I are trapped here, in this pillar of darkness, away from England and traveling off who knows where."

And again, Steven shouldn't be here. So Strange is just looking at him with an increasingly concerned look. A few of the ravens on the bookshelf mirror that look as well, staring at Steven. How did he get here?