Clavia sighed, then looked down at Karin. "Go on back to the house, honey," she said. "I'll be along in a second."
Karin had no idea what just happened there, except the queen had suddenly sounded unhappy. She looked between the two women, then gave the queen a klutzy curtsy that definitely would not have flown in the old Court. But she tried. "I hope Sophie makes pretty dresses for you!" she said, then hefted up the pitcher again and half-walked, half-waddled down the hill ahead of her mother and the queen.
Once Clavia felt that Karin was out of immediate hearing range, she looked at the queen. "At least they're good enough at self-control to keep from saying it," she said, keeping her voice down anyway. Just in case. "The adults are pretty good about keeping the jokes where the kids can't hear 'em."