Konrad was finally obliged to be somewhat blunt, bordering even upon rude. If Nanda had brought him here because she somehow expected trouble (as he strongly suspected), she would have to leave him in peace so that he could go and deal with it.
‘I will return,’ he announced — grandly, for the dramatic nature of the proceedings seemed to require it.
And then he left.
Walking in the ridiculous shoes was no easy task, and he was not able to stride about at his usual pace. In fact, he feared he was reduced to mincing like the fop he most definitely was not as he made his way down tiled corridor after tiled corridor, through several false turns, and found his way at last to the kitchens (huge, scrupulously clean and well equipped) and hence to the pantry (the same). The kitchen, of course, w
