"You are right, of course, that would be most impolite. No need to sully your dignity like that in public. Perhaps a night in a cell would be more to your liking? Certainly more private and less embarrassing that way. Or do you have a suggestion of how I ought to deal with some noble with airs far above her station who’s falsely accusing the King of a wrong he did not commit?" he asked almost casually. That got her to shut up for a minute. "Now, wouldst thou be so kind as to tell me the real reason you wanted a private audience with the King. Or should I assume thou were not trying to merely ruse thy way into his presence and were, in fact, trying to implicate the King in something untoward?"