A fish course came and as a bread basket was offered to her, she could not help herself. She snatched a still warm, doughy roll, tore it in half and slathered it with butter. She broke it into smaller pieces, slipped them up under her veil, and popped them into her mouth.
The titter of laughter drifted from across the table. Two short-veiled women of the Capital seemed to be watching her and laughing. With the music and noise of other conversations swirling around she caught only a few of the words they shared with one another: bumpkin, unstylish, and insane.
Let them laugh and talk about me, Karigan thought. Having Dr. Silk sitting next to her probably had aroused their attention even more than her “background.” She didn’t care one way or the other. She was starving, so when chocolate truffles were presented to her, she was not bashful. At first the Mill City women shook their heads in disapproval, their long veils swaying, but then a few decided to follow her example and actually ate the truffles, not just moved them around on their plates. Karigan smiled. Was it a groundswell of insurrection she’d just started? Probably not, but at least a few of these women got to enjoy chocolate this evening.
Dr. Silk showed no particular concern at her small rebellion. Either he had not noticed, or he accepted it as one of her mad eccentricities.
“You were going to tell me how you spend your days,” he said to her.
Taken off guard, she almost swallowed a truffle whole. Trying not to choke, she turned the question back at him. “How do you spend your days, Dr. Silk?”
He smiled, like a cat pleased to be playing with a mouse. “The use of my time would not interest a lady.”
Fair turnabout, she thought.
Dr. Silk laughed softly in delight. “Now now, my dear. I simply tease. My days are fully occupied by work on my latest project. Except for tonight, of course.”
“What is your project?”
“Unearthing old things, just like your uncle.”
“Surely you’re not digging up just forks and spoons.”
“Indeed, not.” But he offered no more. It appeared they were at something of an impasse. He sipped his wine and then asked, “What do you hear of your parents? You are so very far away from them.”
Cade tensed beside her, a truffle poised halfway to his mouth. The professor had supplied her with an extensive false background filled with enough details for a book. Even with her good memory, it was impossible to memorize the names of all her supposed relations, where they lived, where her false father had been schooled and where he worked as an overseer at a large imperial farm. Perhaps, she thought, simplicity would be the better approach. She’d be less likely to make a mistake, and she could shut down Dr. Silk’s line of questioning at the same time.
Dr. Silk waited, just as Cade waited, for her response.
“I do not wish to think of them,” she said finally. “They put me in an asylum. My uncle is now my guardian.”
Dr. Silk remained quiet. Karigan stared at her hands folded on the table. Cade popped his truffle into his mouth and chewed mechanically.
“Please accept my apology,” Dr. Silk said at last, “for broaching an obviously difficult topic. I did not wish to distress you.”
Karigan doubted he was at all apologetic, but she nodded in acceptance.
Before they could continue the awkward conversation, a note chimed from somewhere on Dr. Silk’s person. He pulled a chronosphere from his waistcoat pocket. Karigan was not the only one who stared in curiosity as he opened the device and a tiny mechanical hummingbird picked out the time.
After a mere glance he snapped it shut and announced, “Now you must forgive me once again as I must leave your side, with much regret, to attend to more entertainments.” He stood and bowed deeply to her and left. She felt, more than saw, the table sag as though it was relieved Dr. Silk had departed. If so, she could relate—Dr. Silk’s presence had left her as exhausted as a long, hard run.
Cade leaned toward her. “You did well,” he whispered.
Glasses of wine were refilled, plates removed and replaced with fruit and cheese plates. She was pleased. Fruit and cheese she could nibble on without making a mess. Some of the long-veiled women once again followed her example. She’d start a revolution yet.
They did not see Dr. Silk again until the eating and drinking waned. He mounted the daïs at center ring. Quickly, conversation diminished.
“I trust everyone enjoyed their dinner?” There were affirmative responses, few of them female, and Dr. Silk beamed. “I will ask now that you turn your chairs toward me, ensuring your legs do not impede the movement of the tables as they leave.”
Karigan could not help but lightly pat the table top. Was it her imagination, or did the wood hum with a purr? It was overridden by the mechanisms creaking as the tables were set in motion with no visible person or method of control in view. Most of them moved at a sedate pace toward the big top entrance, but her own raced away, scattering crockery and silver overboard and crashing onto the floor, its tablecloth whipping behind it. Guests and servants alike peeled out of its way. One man who was not fast enough screamed as one of the wheels ran over his foot.
Good heavens, Karigan thought as she watched after her unruly table, but it made it out of the big top without further casualties.
Beside her, Cade sat with his arms crossed and a scowl plastered on his face, probably displeased once more by the frivolous use of etherea. She elbowed him.
“What was that for?” he demanded.
“You are radiating your disapproval,” she quietly scolded.