Mariella smiled, feeling the quickening of the man’s pulse as he took her hand. Humans had so many little signs, so many tells when they were frightened or nervous and if she were in a more lively mood she would have indulged herself and tormented him a little. It was an important night for Lord Edgar, though, and not one she wished to make any more difficult than it must already have been. He would not doubt thank her for her kindness at the next Council meeting.
“I believe the others will be joining as the evening continues, my dear Lord Edgar. It is still a little early for them.” She said softly, knowing that their conversation if overheard would be taken for the simple chatter it appeared to be, but also that his Lordships worries prevented him from seeing that. It was at moments like this that Mariella mourned the passing of the late Lord Edgar. He had been a man who had known the best defence was to act as if nothing was ever wrong. He had fooled his own family for long enough that if his son’s words were to be believed. “They do so like to make an entrance, and there is nothing more fashionable than to be late.”