Once lunch was over, Shana and the three sisters returned to the training yard.
Very little had happened during the meal after Monika finished bandaging Airam's hand. Airam had eaten more than usual, accepting each dish without comment and asking for another serving when she had finished. Her appetite had improved; her mood had not. She barely spoke, and the maids approached her place with a caution that made even setting down a plate seem like a delicate task.
Hermione had been less silent.
She had tried to appear indifferent to Ulrich's absence, but every few minutes she found another reason to ask Monika about him. At first, she wanted to know whether he had eaten much earlier. Then she asked whether Ceres had arrived before they went to the yard, whether their business together had taken all morning, and why he had not told them he would miss lunch.
