Katherine pressed her lips together for a moment, an action both out of confused anxiety and ponderance. The judge certainly did seem rather serious, and he had not yet asked for her mother...he had asked to talk to her. "The lack of notice is no problem," Katherine replied, looking to Marie, whose expression depicted the same confusion that Katherine felt.

Swallowing, Katherine continued, "Of course, my lord. We can take tea in the parlor, if it suits you?" She glanced at Marie, who immediately hurried off to the kitchen to prepare tea, but not without one last anxious and uneasy look at Katherine, who nodded to her as if to tell her it was alright to leave.