"By the by, I am glad you have been able to arrange to go with us.

I thought your engagements were going to prevent you." Claudius looked at her, trying to read her thoughts, in which he failed.
He might have been satisfied, but he was not.

There was a short silence, and then he closed the book over his hand and spoke.
"Countess, do you wish me to go or not ?" Margaret raised her dark eyebrows.

He had never seen her do that before.
But then he had never said anything so clumsy before in his whole life, and he knew it the moment the words were out of his mouth, and his face was white in sunshine.

She looked at him suddenly, a slight smile on her lips, and her eyes just the least contracted, as if she were going to say something sarcastic.