]I think it's quite apparent he was absolutely clueless.

I agree. I never believed he had even the smallest inkling about
them---just dosn't suit his character to tiptoe around anything. I think that is why JA removed all that 'hinting' nonsense we see him engaging in within the cancelled chapters. It just doesn't, as I believe Robbin(?) said, fit in with the character as written in the previous chapters.