The quip about a wise man elicited a singular, elegant raised brow from Silke. She wasn't quite certain if he was trying to flirt with her or not; honestly, the only consistent thing about men was how inconsistent they were with their overtures. More likely than not he was trying to sidestep the question with his considerable charm. There was no reason for him to have romantic interest in her: he had his choice of any number of excitable, curious, prettier younger ladies, and he wasn't competing with other nobleman to see who'd win a bet as to who could win her over. The fact his response hadn't been straightforward told her all she needed to know. Galt had a taste for more, although what precise ambition he held eluded her yet.

That he was not deterred by her jilted suitors was briefly fascinating- until he made a comparison to his life on the streets. Silke couldn't and wouldn't pretend she understood what it must be like to struggle to eat or be safe. That wasn't to say that she wasn't without her struggles. As a woman, she was a second class citizen in many ways, underestimated and passed over in favor of a man, and she had deep scars from the death of her mother and brother. While she didn't doubt he was cunning, he was ignorant of the cutthroat nature of the courts, and the stark contrast it had compared to other social circles. He was too cavalier about the threats all around him.

Silke gave no indication she heard Galt's words spoken into his cup. Valdemar interrupted before she could make any sort of reply and she somewhat relished the notion of leaving him hanging, wondering if he had scared her off with his glimpse of severity. Her countenance had been impassive, her eyes as clear and controlled as the rest of her, when he had lost his grin. Only an individual that valued themselves could be scared and, as someone who was apathetic to her future, she was difficult to frighten.

"Lady Silke, it is good to see you!" greeted a man in a slightly pompous tone as he approached their seats at the table. He was a handsome man just shy of his forties dressed in navy blue and burgundy, colors that were understated in the current environment. All of his perfectly coiffed hair was a pleasant hazelnut brown streaked with gray at the temples that only served to make him seem more refined. Galt may have taken care to remember Count Gregor Schaude in particular as he was the wealthiest of all the counts by a substantial margin. His family lineage had a reputation of creating shrewd, cunning men, who were ruthless when crossed. Rumors circulated that his grandfather and father had a habit of torturing any thieves caught on their lands.

It had been lamented by Count Schaude, in the presence of others, how cruel fate was that Lady Silke had not been born earlier or he later. He had wed years before she reached maturity and his sons had not begun puberty. The count had bemoaned his inability to bring Silke into his family. No one mistook his exclamations to mean he was in love with the younger woman; rather, he admired her silver tongue and business acumen and was deeply disappointed her genetics wouldn't contribute to future generations of Schaude.

"Count Schadue, may I introduce you to Count Harrowmark?" she said with a graceful gesture.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Count Schaude said to Galt with a small bow of the head. His flat, perfunctory tone and the small bow of his head were the bare minimum required by protocol. There was no malice from Count Schaude, he just did not care about any new nobleman unless there was something they could do for him, which Galt could not.

Turning back to Silke, Count Schaude smiled warmly, with as much professional affection as he showed anyone in the court. "May I borrow your company for a spell, Lady Silke? There is a business matter I intend to broach with Duke Deduan and your father, and it occurs to me I'd much benefit from your presence during those discussions." It was not the sort of conversation most women would be privy to and, if they were, they'd stand quietly and listen with idle minds. She was, however, quite astute in political and socioeconomic matters, and so she had been increasingly invited by more liberal aristocrats to partake, especially when her advice and help had proved advantageous.

For half a second Silke considered declining. If she were to depart Galt's company now, he'd be alone with Duke Valdemar and the king, without her knowledge or experience to smooth over any stumbles. Her mind flickered back to the confidence he had displayed when she had warned him about her previous would-be suitors. Since he was so certain of himself, she would let him sink, swim, or at least discover if he had any deficiencies. As the guest of honor, any mistakes he made would be overlooked for the most part, so it was his best opportunity to learn.

"Of course, Count Schaude. I'm [i]sure[/i] Galt will manage spectacularly without me," she said. She hoped the other women of the court swarmed him with all their coy games, because he'd quickly find ladies would demand commitment for anything more than a kiss, if that. Silke had overheard her brother griping about how insufferable he found the teasing and flirting when nothing could be done without taking a wife. "Is this about that newly discovered gem mine?" she asked Count Schaude with a smile of her own.

"Ah, quick as always Lady Silke!" he grinned. "Your majesty, Duke Valdemar, Count Harrowmark," he added, bowing deeply before circling to Silke and taking her arm, leading her away with formal elegance.

"She's always been such an odd woman," an older lady a few seats down grumbled under her breath. Not everyone appreciated how Silke challenged the status quo.