"The selection of party games could be better." Merrick is more a small social gathering type -- any larger and he finds ways of entertaining himself.
Like he's doing now. If Livvie is paying close attention to where the pooka's eyes are roaming rather then where his words are she might notice his gaze locking on their host. She might even put two and two together when he looks away again, chattering brightly about the game of Cranium, and there is no longer a gaudily dazzling necklace dangling from his fingers.