By now, the steward had brought the new bottle of champagne, opening it and pouring it at the table. He hovered, waiting for Phillipe's approval. Phillipe tasted the champagne, pronounced it acceptable, and then waited for the steward to leave before addressing Ada once again.
"It's very bold of you to try to negotiate with a prince," Phillipe said, with a slight note of admiration in his quiet voice. "However, I don't think I want to divulge my intentions to a common actor. If you choose to accept the patronage of a lesser noble, I suppose I can't stop you."