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Offering up a silent prayer for the fortitude to keep your face as composed as your thoughts are not, you try to deduce some way to correct course before a bad decision becomes an utterly ruinous one. With Sulphreme still very much in earshot, you cannot seriously consider claiming that your father is in fact at this Coaching house, but simply indisposed for some contrived reason or other at the moment. Of course, admitting that your father <span class="mu-i">isn't</span> here is opening an effectively bottomless pot of worms. But what other choice is left to you? If there is any, it is beyond you, what with your head so worn out and worn down. If it wasn't for the stress, you would probably be half-asleep right about now - as opposed to an eighth-asleep as you are. Damn this chair, it is too comfortable.
Perhaps ... perhaps, if opening the pot of worms is a forgone conclusion, as you cannot - and should not - lie and say that he is, and simply refusing to answer won't pass muster, especially when you were one who resumed the conversation ... perhaps then, your only recourse is to make that pot of worms as uncomfortable to delve as possible, within the bounds of polite conversation - or at least, your best estimation of polite conversation - and hope that he decides to leave well enough alone on his own volition. It is far and away from being sure-firing, but you can dredge up no better idea.
"As a matter of fact, no ... no he isn't. He's not well, actually."
"Oh, Maker's Mercy, I am sorry to hear that."
As the weight of another lie bears down on your brow, you can see a look of genuine concern wash over Cantcanis, of the sort that you never would have expected a <span class="mu-i">prosecutor</span> of all people to be able to experience. It seems to be written across his face that he isn't going to let this go, but when he doesn't say anything more straightaway, a feeble hope takes root in your breast that you might have misjudged about misjudging him. But -
"Is he being seen? Professionally, that is? Because Raptelis here is a Journeyman Chirurgeon."
The remark catches the ear of the Chirurgeon; now you must tread with much more care when lying about Wilhelmina's father's health. Did you tell Sulphreme that your father had been seen professionally? Oh damn it, where in the Heights of Hell is that food? At this point, you'd just keep your face stuffed until the proprietor was ready to take you into his office ...
> Please choose ONE of the following:
> "No."
> "Yes."
> "Oh, no. It is not that bad."
> "Well, yes, but only as a precaution."
> "Oh, no. It is not that bad, he just had a rough go of the crossing, that's all."
> "Well, yes, but only as a precaution - he just had a rough go of the crossing, that's all."
> "I'm ... not sure if he'd want me speaking about such matters so publicly."
