"Nothing at all of note," Peony murmured to Almalexia. She could understand why the girl was jumpy, but surely this afternoon would be calmer than the last.
She greeted the others as they arrived, agrreing with Elvira that the weather was indeed very lovely and assuring Aspel that she was quite well, even though any who had spent a significant amount of time around her might note a very slight rasp to her voice. She would likely speak even less than usual this afternoon, in an attempt to keep from infecting anyone, although the cold seemed to have nearly run its course by now.
"I hope everyone is recovered from the festival," she said, trusting that the topic would prove satisfactory to open the conversation. "Have you been keeping busy?" Her last week had been busier than normal, with caring for an ill friend, walking that friend's dog, and weaning a litter of kittens to milk and finely ground meat so that they would be ready for new homes next week. She was more than ready for a rest; perhaps tomorrow she would spend the afternoon in her sitting room with a novel.