“Doubtless. The ground is already broken on your grand new orphanage, I hear.” He leaned close to murmur, “And I understand you bought up half the Three Farms for next to nothing. That might yet turn out your best investment of all.”

Savine would not have been surprised if it turned out one of the best in history, especially since she’d bought up half the Arches, too. “For the sake of the tenants, you understand. Most of them are paying less than half rent.” For the time being, at least…

“I always knew you had a generous heart.”

“I remember you saying something of the sort. I may have a gift for you, in fact.”

Curnsbick peered at her over his eye-lenses. “Why do I imagine you will want something in return?”

“Because you know my generous heart pumps blood to a calculating brain. It is a chair.”

“I am not quite ready for retirement, Your Highness.”

“No fear of that. The chair is a decidedly uncomfortable one.” Her turn to murmur, shielding her mouth with her fan. “On the Closed Council.”

He tried to stay calm, but she noted the eager twitch of his fingers. “Who else have you asked?”

“You are my first choice, of course.”

“Then you would want to approach me with some friends already in place.”

Savine smiled. “Perhaps you know me too well. I have approached Vallimir and Kort.”

“And they said yes?”

“Can you imagine either of them refusing me before I was Mother of the King? Now?” She glanced across the foyer stuffed with breathless sycophants desperately trying to catch her eye and laughed. “Please.”

Curnsbick glanced towards her heavy-handed bodyguard, lowering his voice. “And… your husband has given his permission?”

Savine did not like the word “permission.” It galled her that people might think she had to ask for it. “He will not object.”

“Are you sure? I hear the easy manners of the Young Lion are not very much in evidence lately. He is proving to be far from agreeable when it comes to sharing power, and as vengeful as Glustrod at any hint of a slight—”

“Let me worry about my husband.”

Curnsbick looked less than convinced. He looked, in fact, rather scared. “Can I refuse?”

“Of course. But I know you too well, and you could never pass up the chance to shape the future. I will let you know the terms.” And, favouring him with a touch of her fan, she drifted on. Her eye had been caught by someone loitering near the wall.

Selest dan Heugen was, for once, not trying to make an exhibit of herself. In her efforts to fade into the background, indeed, she had done everything short of wear a dress that matched the wallpaper. But Savine was not about to let her slip away so easily.

“Selest!” she called. “I hope you aren’t trying to avoid me.”

Her curtsy had something of the cornered animal about it as Savine bore down with her phalanx of guards. “Only… because I’m afraid to face you,” she said, which was honest, at least. “Your Highness, I have to apologise—”