Seregil inclined his head modestly. “You flatter me. I doubt most of the women of Rhíminee would agree with you.”

“Most, indeed!” Kylith noted with a slight frown. “Since you and I established him in style, he seems to be in a different bed every night. I’m rather piqued about that, and considering withdrawing my patronage. There are certainly enough others who’d put up with him.”

“You’d do that?” asked Alec.

“I most certainly will. I told him as much the other night, when he refused my invitation to dinner. Of course, he was very apologetic about it, but I heard the next day that he’d been with Duchess Arelia. To be honest, I’m growing a bit tired of him anyway. I think Master Raneus at the Tirari is a bit more convincing—onstage and off.”

Seregil doubted that, but Kylith had her pride and had wrongly assumed she was buying a young lover as well as a theater.

Talk had turned to recent plays at both theaters when Runcer came to the door. “Master Atre is in the salon, my lord. Shall I have him join you?”

Seregil looked to Kylith. “It’s up to you.”

“Oh, please, yes!” Ysmay pleaded.

Kylith sighed. “I have no objection.”

Seregil motioned to Runcer, who escorted the actor into the garden.

“My dear Lady Kylith!” Atre exclaimed, going to her at once to kiss her hand. “How lovely to find all three of my dear patrons here at once.”

Kylith regarded him coolly. “Still only three?”

“You wound me, lady!” Atre gave her an imploring look.

“Come sit by me, you rogue,” Seregil said, laughing. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Only a bit of mundane business, my lord. Nothing that can’t wait.”

“Then you must join us. There’s still plenty of food. You can help celebrate.”

“Celebrate?”

“His name day,” Alec told him.

“You honor me, my lords,” Atre replied, taking a seat with obvious pleasure. When Runcer had filled his cup, he lifted it to Seregil. “Long life and good fortune, my lord.”

After seeing Kylith and Ysmay into their carriage later that evening, Seregil turned to Atre with an expectant look.

“My news would be better delivered in private, my lords.”

“Ah, I see. Well, come to the library.” He led the way up and closed the door.

“Someone’s tongue has been wagging?” asked Alec.

“Indeed, my lord,” Atre replied, glancing around the well-appointed room with evident interest. “Tanni and I performed for a small party at Duke Laneus’s house a few days ago. The duke and his friends spoke very highly of Princess Klia. The first toast was to her, rather than the queen.”

“I see. What exactly was said?”

“Several people had letters from her and shared them. It was mostly salutations and details of battles.”

“Who was there?”

“The duke, Duke Malthus, Marquise Lalia, Duke Zymir, General Sarien, and Duchess Nerian.”