It is frustrating, really. You have spent a fair bit of time with the Taker, but you really don't have a read on the man. And as such, you cannot say with any certainty if muddying the waters is going to help you or not. You suppose it couldn't hurt ... or then again, it very well might. The Poincares; you had almost forgotten about them. Presumably, when they return to the room, there is going to be a scene of some stripe or another in the offing. If you are anchored to your seat by courtesy while Sulphreme works his way through an interesting but unuseful-to-you anecdote when they arrive ... well, you can certainly imagine him challenging Sulphreme on your presence at this dinner, which could and almost certainly segue into questions about <span class="mu-i">why</span> you were out so late. From there, you can easily imagine things spiraling away from you. Aye, lingering overlong could be your undoing ... but that is only assuming that the Poincares realize that they are the butt of a joke. It might be that they go to the empty room they believe your fictitious father is sleeping in to try to rouse him, find that they cannot, and simply decide to retire for the night. If that is what they ended up doing - or have already done - then you have some time to work with here. You could ask the Goodman proprietor over for a moment, and ... well, actually, you should do that regardless, whether you are going to be risking remaining in the room or trying to take your leave before the Poincares can return.
"Goodman Nasturtium? Half of your ear and a moment of your time."
The man politely disengages himself from the company he had been caught up in and closes the distance to you.
"You will forgive me, I hope, but it seems that I ended up taking you up on your offer of a seat at your table after all."
The man chuckles warmly, and worn as you are you find yourself smiling away.
"There is nothing to forgive, nothing at all. In fact, if there has been any trespass here, it was me, allowing you to leave without the Patent and Bill."
Your smile withers away in a half-heartbeat, and you find yourself having to actually purse your lips together to keep your face somewhere approaching placid. Cry fie and fray it all, does he intend to make everyone remaining at the table part-and-party to your affairs? Damn it, you should have gotten him out of the room first. Now you have to wonder how many guests here heard that, and how many will remember. Sulphreme definitely heard - and definitely will remember - but you had practically told him already anyway. Doesn't make the pill any less bitter, though. Blind to your frustration, the proprietor continues on.
"But you haven't actually had anything to eat or drink yet? Oh, that won't do. No, food first, papers later. Myriam, over here, if you please."
"Oh, no, no - the hour, it is much to late for me to eat anything."
"Truly? You wouldn't even take some iced water and heel of the house emmerloaf?"
