Jack returned to the courtyard. The marriage frenzy had begun in earnest.
A flood of nobles and their daughters approached like a well-dressed tide.
He fielded layered conversations. Compliments wrapped in coy proposals, subtle negotiations disguised as casual chat, and parents who managed to make innocent questions sound like dowry negotiations.
"Lord Kaiser," said a matron whose jewelry could fund a small war, "you must meet my daughter. Such a cultured girl. She speaks four languages and plays the harp divinely."
The daughter in question stepped forward with a curtsy so precise it could have been measured with calipers. "My lord, I've heard such wonderful things about your... innovations."
Jack inclined his head graciously. "Innovation requires curiosity. What interests you most?"
"The bathhouse, naturally," she said, then blushed prettily. "Though I confess I'm more interested in the mind that conceived it."
'Subtle,' Jack thought, filing away another compliment.
