The Queen Mother did not answer immediately. Instead, she studied his face, as though deciding where to begin.
"You were watching me during breakfast," she said at last.
"You were speaking to me. It would have been strange not to."
"That is not what I meant."
Her voice was soft, but there was no uncertainty in it.
"You were paying attention to more than my words. You watched my expressions and even the way I reacted to the others. It was almost as if you were trying to understand what I wanted before I said it."
Julian kept his expression relaxed.
"Perhaps I was simply being careful."
"Careful?" She smiled. "You seem to be a very careful man these days, Kraven."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all. In fact, I find it rather interesting."
She shifted slightly in her chair. The movement brought her a little closer, and Julian caught the faint scent of her perfume.
