Edric grinned, waving away her concerns. It seemed necessary for him to be courteous to any lady he met, such was the way of a proper gentleman. In fact, he was perhaps more of a gentleman than some of the nobles.
"'Tis no worry. Now tell me, why are you here 'lurking' all alone in the dark?" he asked, using her own word to describe herself, "it isn't the safest place for a break, after all. Wouldn't the kitchen have been a better place? There are such wonderful smells in there, good for the stomach."