Ah, he was finally being straightforward--she could relax. He wasn't dragging her off to blackmail her or use her for some other nefarious purpose; he honestly did believe in the influence of the fae. Given the paranoia surrounding the subject, of course he didn't want to discuss such business in front of the other guests. Thus, strangely enough, as he expressed his irritation, she found herself settling back into her calm, usual self.

"While I applaud your quest for knowledge and your awareness of beings outside of humankind, I'm afraid I can't assist you. I am already bound to a contract that allowed my voyage here to begin with. I must see such duties through before taking a different job." Cicely took a tentative sip of water before daring to meet the earl's eyes.

"I can, however, offer a word of advice." Here, Cicely let the cup rest in her lap as she adopted a stern tone. "There is no known case of any fae society submitting to imposed human rule. They flee or fight as they choose, so think carefully before stirring up the hornet's nest. Things seem peaceful enough now, so I would suggest being content with that."