Jezal stared at him for a moment, then snorted, and got up. He had already left the room before most of the old men had struggled to their feet. And I take even longer. When Glokta had finally wrestled his chair out of the way and grimaced to standing, he found Hoff was beside him, a frown on his ruddy face. 'We have a small problem,' he muttered.

'Indeed? Something we cannot raise with the rest of the Council?'

'I fear so. Something which, in particular, it would be better not to discuss before his Majesty.' Hoff looked quickly over his shoulder, waited for the last of the old men to pull the heavy door shut behind him and leave the two of them unobserved. Secrets, then? How tremendously exciting. 'Our absent Lord Marshal's sister.'

Glokta frowned. Oh dear. 'Ardee West? What of her?'

'I have it on good authority, that she finds herself in… a delicate condition.'

The familiar flurry of twitches ran up the left side of Glokta's face. 'Is that so?' What a shame. 'You are remarkably well informed about that lady's personal business.'

'It is my duty to be so.' Hoff leaned close and blasted Glokta with wine-stinking breath as he whispered. 'When you consider who the father might very well be.'

'And that is?' Though I think we both already guess the answer.

'Who else but the king?' hissed Hoff under his breath, a note of panic in his voice. 'You must be well aware that they were involved in… a liaison, to put it delicately, prior to his coronation. It is scarcely a secret. Now this? A bastard child! When the king's own claim to the throne is not of the purest? When he has so many enemies still on the Open Council? Such a child could be used against us, if it became known of, and it will, of course!' He leaned closer yet. 'Such a thing would constitute a threat to the state.'

'Indeed,' said Glokta icily. All too unfortunately true. What a terrible, terrible shame.

Hoff's fat fingers fussed nervously with each other. 'I realise that you have some association with the lady and her family. I understand entirely if this is one responsibility that you would rather be free of. I can make the arrangements with no—'

Glokta flashed his craziest grin. 'Are you implying that I lack sufficient ruthlessness for the murder of a pregnant mother, Lord Chamberlain?' His voice bounced loud from the hard white walls, merciless as a knife-thrust.

Hoff winced, his eyes darting nervously towards the door. 'I am sure you would not flinch from any patriotic duty—'

'Good. You may rest easy, then. Our mutual friend did not select me for this role because of my soft heart.' Anything but. 'I will deal with the matter.'