They were face to face for a long moment and Ithacles had time to consider everything. He had tried to say it, just then, by referring to her as a soldier. They worked and fought together. There weren't many women in Faustben that became warriors, but how would it look if the Prince went around pulling them into dark alcoves? Women had always been a worry for him. He didn't have time to be close to any of them. He considered what he could say next, and almost slipped from the stool...
She made up his mind for him. Thinking about women and putting one in your arms were entirely different things; in fact, all thought vanishes. He put one arm around her waist, discarded his tankard, and slipped the other one up her back. Her lips were surprisingly cool and he pushed his into them, pulling her at once to his chest.