Re: The Diplomat / The Waiter
"Malicious mischief," he repeated slowly, sounding out the syllables. He couldn't tell if Duke was going through the conversational maze on purpose or if it was just something he did. The only thing the waiter knew for sure was that neither he nor his accent were being mocked, and that was refreshing. "Mechanical... movements. Yes."
The waiter allowed his silver platter to rock gently back and forth from the heel of his palm to the tips of his fingers as he regarded the other man thoughtfully. "If all the mice do is mooch, then the ladies and gentlemen of the train are lucky." It seemed to him that Duke's attention reversed inward for a moment, rather than out the window or to someone else in the cabin, and he took that as his cue.
Taking his tray up with more purpose, he straightened his spine and gave the diplomat and friendly nod, signalling an end to the conversation. "Do give us a wave if you need another glass, sir. Duke." He smiled, gave a decidedly non-servile little wave of his white glove, and moved on to the next table.