Tehr took a bite of his food, an excellent shepards pie.  It was a touch heavy on the lamb and spices, and thus a bit richer than he preferred, but still quite superbly prepared.  He nodded his head as Tanya corrected him on his misquote.  He smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if to admit that he was wrong.  It was a casual and careful gesture and his plan to seem humble worked.  He sipped from some weak short beer that had been at the table, glad that the watered ale wasn't as strong as Tielwater's taste in wine, and smiled at Emily as she defended him.<br/><em><br/> "I don't think the exact words matter as much as the spirit of them, and I do think my dear friend's going to wind up with the whole household after him."</em><br/><br/>Tehr clucked his tongue and said, "I fear not the hordes of howling folk of these lands, clutching and clamoring for my bones, for I know that sisters Emily and Eeva will defend me as they did upon the road earlier."  He smiled and took another bite of the richly done meat and potato dish.  It was small effort to hold back a chuckle as Eeva blushed a little bit.  He turned his full attention on the lady of the house as she spoke of her daughters and nodded respectfully, adding, "It is a good thing, for too many of the nobility in londinium are spoiled fops who know not of focus or dedication.  Simply flitting about the court and about politics with no greater ambition in life than to marry well and have the best dress for the next ball.  My own studies into the arcane art, sadly, take a back seat to the necessities of politics.  But were I free of the olbligation I would pursue it with a single minded determination."<br/><br/>He took in the table of lovely women and sighed, shrugging his shoulders, "Though I'm sure I'd still find something to distract me."<br/><br/>The youngest halfling fidgeted under Tehr's gaze, and the lady of the house declared,<em>"It seems that Charlotte isn't having a fair appetite today though..."</em><br/><br/>Tehr nodded and said, "Would you believe that of my siblings, I was the shy one?  My sister seems to make friends automatically wherever she goes and immediately puts people at ease, and my brother, may the gods watch his soul, was always quick with a joke, a smile, and a hearty greeting.  When I was a child, I was the one that was quiet at the dinner table, eager to get back to my books and away from the boisterous talk of my father and brother, or the secretive girl talk between mother and sister."<br/><br/>He smiled and set his fork down, "I know that too," he winked at charlotte and then turned his gaze from her, "That women have their secrets and it's certainly no place for a man like me to pry into those private corners.  If Charlotte wishes to remain a quiet observer, I'll simply be glad of her presence, for if nothing else, it enhances the beauty of the room."   Then with a wink to Emily that was bold and obvious to all at the table, he added, "Not that I'd even imagine such a thing would be possible with the beauty already at the table, but stranger things have happened."<br/><br/>He smiled and then Emily's tone became serious for a moment,<em>"Mother, The journey was quite a long one, and not without complications. Would you think it terribly rude of me if I took a tour of the gardens alone with master Tehr for a while and then retired for the evening? I think we'll all have a lot of time to talk later on things that need to be brought up."</em><br/><br/>Tehr folded his napkin and looked to the Lady of the house for an affirmation.  But then he reached out and tapped the maid, Applemane on the elbow as she passed near him.  Leaning near to her he whispered, "I fear my dinner is to be cut short.  Could you see to it that there is a small plate of cheese and fruit in my room when I have returned from my visit to the gardens please?"  Tehr wasn't a big eater normally, but he'd only sampled the dinner before Emily was eager to be off.  More so he'd burned through almost all of his allotment of spells for the day, and that always left him hungry, for food and for sex.  The latter had been well satiated today, but the former had been slightly lacking.<br/><br/>More so, he'd had a bit more to drink than he normally would, and would not wish to wake up with a headache in the morning before a friendly spell duel.  Finally, if truth be told, he wouldn't mind seeing what it was under that maid's uniform that drew the gaze of the halfling man so raptly.  From his experience, asking a maid to bring something to your chambers at night often went one of two ways.  The first would be a quick and efficient delivery, the second sometimes led to a more private and interesting encounter.  If Emily was as tired as he was, she might bid him a good night early, and Tehr was much more a fan of an extended good night kiss.  It never hurt to throw out more than one fishing line after all.  But in front of the sisters and mother, the request would be chaste and proper, simply a request for a little food to be in his room.<br/><br/>Then turning back to Lady d'Ravos he nodded, "Indeed, I was told to visit the gardens this eve by good man ir'Ravos himself.  I fear if I don't do so soon, I'll fall asleep as I walk the paths.  Mayhap we can discuss business tomorrow?"