‘You are a prize fool, girl,’ she said, so softly that Konrad almost failed to discern her words.
Konrad expected a display of wrath from Nanda in response to so rude a speech. But Nan sighed, took a long swallow of tea and said with rueful resignation: ‘I know.’
‘Do you never listen?’
‘Not often, no.’
The old lady dismissed Nanda with a contemptuous flick of her cold grey eyes, and fixed her attention upon Konrad instead. She looked him over slowly, and she was utterly unimpressed. ‘This is him, is it?’
‘It is,’ said Nanda coolly.
The woman actually rolled her eyes. Then she turned her back on them both and strode away, giving Konrad opportunity to observe that the hem of her ancient and too-long coat was a mess of rags and dirt.
‘Charming,’ Konrad murmured.
‘Kati Vinter.’
‘The l
