Silke hadn't expected him to pull the chair out for her. She nodded her thanks as she sat and listened attentively as he responded to her question. Archery was a skill she had honestly anticipated he wouldn't possess; still, it didn't hurt to inquire. A plan was forming in her mind of how she might be able to ease him into society without losing the momentum of his current reputation. Were he able to fire a bow competently it would have admittedly been more advantageous, though it was by no means critical. She would need to employ a little more figurative cloak and daggers, and she'd have to budget a touch more time to involve her brother to help train Galt on the basics, but she was confident about the general viability of what she was about to propose. The most unpalatable part of the endeavor would be that she might be cornered into revealing a secret she had no desire to expose.

Her fingers rapped thoughtfully on the wooden surface of the table. It was easy to forget how different a bustling metropolis was to the estates in which the nobility lived. There were aristocrats that lived in the cities, some as second homes, some because they didn't actually bother to live on the lands granted to them by the crown, and yet others because they had lost their holdings but retained their title. Regardless of the reasoning, those who stayed in the 'countryside' often scoffed at those whose primary home was in the city proper. They enjoyed gloating about the superiority of their sprawling mansions that were drowning in luxury. Silke wasn't invested in either side, but she was starting to realize her lack of familiarity with city life made her blind to important differences.

The subject would require more study later when she was alone and could afford to dwell upon it.

Galt's breach of etiquette- wiping his mouth with the back of his hand- earned him an amused smile. She wasn't the sort to stand on formality for the sake of it. There was a time and place for impeccable manners. Meeting an eligible bachelor in secret, to teach him finance and accounting, discussing using an ambush on bandits to gain him status, and ignoring the polite lines drawn in societal gender roles, was not the time to worry about protocol. To see him dabbing the edges of his mouth was somehow more humorous to watch then when he was behaving like a commoner in a tavern.

"Hunting is not an uncommon past time for noblemen," she explained briefly. Most (though not all) male members of the aristocracy learned various forms of combat. The sword was what most were taught, with axes, maces, and polearms being popular in their own right, and the bow being less favored. In times of peace, however, some had a yearning for the unique rush that could be found in combat, and hunting was the closest they could come to simulating that thrill. It was a convenient physical outlet as well for the athletically inclined.

Food was placed in front of them and she waited until the servants were out of the room before she continued. "You can't avoid social engagements forever, not if you want to make useful connections and have higher ambitions. It seems to me you want to avoid dinner dates where you are obviously paired with young ladies angling for marriage. Rest assured, any duke that invites you to a meal would likely seize the opportunity to match you to someone to whom they are connected, so going to dinner with a childless widower does not mean you'd avoid someone's daughter, niece, cousin, or the like. Hunting is a sport, however, so that is a different matter altogether. Women aren't expressly forbidden from going on hunts, but it is exceedingly rare," she said, flashing a smile. The coy expression communicated that of everyone he met that she was one of the exceptions to this unspoken rule.

She picked up her fork and knife and started to dissect her potato into delicate sizes. Silke was methodical. Potato was much less appetizing when it was cold, so she started with it, and would work her way around the plate from what was most critical to eat warm to least. "I can have my brother teach you the basics of the bow. I'll get us an invitation to a hunt and, once you perform well, it will bolster your image while avoiding the pesky topic of your being single," she concluded with a wink.

Precisely how he'd perform so well in the aforementioned hunt was not explained. Silke popped a piece of potato into her mouth and chewed. If he wanted her to divulge more of her plan, or give further detail, he was going to have to directly pose those questions himself. She was perfectly content to be quite vague on how she'd accomplish such a feat.