To honor the knights’ arrival at the castle, dinner was a feast held in the large dining hall rarely graced with the regent’s presence. Amery usually took his meals in his own chambers, away from the gossip and giggles of the courtesans who at times almost seemed an extension of the castle itself. Young women flocked to the castle dinners, hoping to catch the regent’s eye; mingled among their number were citizens with grievances they wanted aired, or commoners looking for free handouts, or politically minded men who wanted to bend Amery’s ear with their own biased views. He would much rather avoid the whole lot and eat alone.
Or with Sir Tovin. That would have been nice.
But he could think of no excuse as to why the knight had to join him in his own chambers, just him and no others. Or
