Lady McPadraic merely gave a nod in response to the greeting, and did not apologize for using the wrong title. As Vela summed up the plans for the dinner party, the woman looked around the room with glassy eyes, and her face was emotionless. All but for suppressing a yawn, she seemed hardly to try to hide her disinterest.

Yet she looked back at Vela when she mentioned fish as one of the courses after saying she would exclude it. "I'm allergic to fish," the young woman noted, but even that as a quiet soliloquy, rather than addressing Vela directly.

Arthur patted her hand on his shoulder. "She knows."

When the chef then offered two possible replacements for her to choose from, she frowned a little and wrinkled her nose. She seemed to think for a moment. "Cheese is heavy... And we have too many starters already."