Crow nodded and followed Penelope over to an empty table she had spotted on the other side of the Great Hall, far from where Elizabeth was seated. Despite what he’d said to her, he knew Liz was going to join them as soon as they settled down. She’d already caught sight of him when he’d entered the room and was now watching him move through the crowd like a wild animal stalking its prey. Her unwavering gaze sent a chill up his spine. He wished she would give up on winning him over already. Though there had never been any chance of him returning to her to start with, she had done quite a poor job of seducing him. After her harsh words to the knight and her unwarranted appearance in his bedchamber, any attraction he might have felt to her before was thoroughly extinguished.

Crow slid onto the bench across from Penelope when they reached the table. He would have liked to sit directly next to her to make it clear to Elizabeth whose side he was on, but knowing the gesture would look strange to anyone else in the room, he contented himself with merely letting his leg brush against hers beneath the table.

As the knight announced that Liz was already making her way over to join them, the viceroy groaned. He really didn’t want to deal with the noblewoman so early in the morning, but it was starting to look like he wouldn’t have a choice. At least he would have the rest of the day to spend with Penelope after breakfast. Looking forward to that, eating one meal with Liz would be just a little more tolerable.

Almost as if on cue, her familiar, sing-song voice sounded unpleasantly behind him.

“Morning, Collin,” Elizabeth cooed, sitting close enough to him that her shoulder was pressed against his. “Sleep well?”

“Better, since you weren’t there,” Crow said coldly. With everything she had done to both him and Penelope, he’d given up on being civil with the stubborn woman. Hopefully now that he was being more upfront about his dislike of her, she would get the hint that he wanted her to leave him alone.

Liz frowned but made no move to go anywhere. “Oh, come now,” she leaned into him a little more. “I’m sure you slept great after my visit two nights ago.” A devious smirk crossed her lips, and her blue eyes flickered toward Penelope. “I mean, I was thoroughly exhausted after that game we played. If you weren’t tired, you really must have quite the stamina.”