Therese returned the embrace, but she was not laughing, and Desiree could feel a certain tension in her body for a few seconds. Then she relaxed and put on a "cordial, diplomatic" smile, which she directed at Renee. "Thank you for arranging that," she said blandly. "We'll be looking forward to seeing you there."
Renee had enough social sensitivity (not to mention a restive husband and son) to smile her own polite words and retreat to her family. Therese held the polite smile until the two parties had separated ... and then she dropped it instantly the moment Desiree's mirth passed.
"As I've said before, Goriel taught me not to believe in coincidences," she said quietly as she and Desiree walked toward the Melkumyan compound. "Of all the cities in the Northern Confederacy to build a story around, and all the royal or noble or aristocratic connections there, she just happens to pick the one for your story that is more or less factual, apart from the 'princess' bit? And I've only done one rescue in --" she looked around before continuing to make sure no one was in listening range -- "in Goriel in the last year or so that involved a pregnant woman, the only recently rescued woman with whom I have used my real name, and we sent that girl to a safe house that's nowhere close to here. But somehow she wanders into town to get checked out by Maxwel or Renee or somebody there."
She frowned. "This just feels weird to me. Really, really weird."