Secondly, Nanda’s demeanour was decidedly not pleased. But Konrad did not think it was merely the displeasure of having no attendant. In fact, she was contrary enough to resent such solicitude if it was offered. She stood in silence before the fire, with no news to share and no enquiries to make of Konrad. Her pale eyebrows were furrowed in a deep frown, and her thoughts appeared to be elsewhere.
‘Are you well, Nan?’ he said, some small part of his earlier worries unfurling once again.
She refocused her ice-blue eyes upon his face, vaguely, as though she had forgotten his presence. ‘There was some trouble,’ she replied. ‘I was deciding whether or not to inform you of it.’
He blinked. ‘Why would you hide it from me?’
She sighed, and ran her hands through her white-blonde hair. The gestu
