Val's face hardened and Hunter thought he would not answer. Then he smiled a little, even though without humor, and said:
"Since I came here to kill you if I thought you deserved it, I suppose I am obligated to answer your question. My regard for Princess Lyla is the respectful one that any civilized man would have for another man's wife."
There was an unintended implication in the statement and Hunter made a conjecture:
"You and Princess Lyla were engaged—how long ago?"
There was surprise on Val's face, and something like pain quickly masked. "So she's already making it public information?"
"No. I learned of it from ... other sources. I don't know, of course, why you persuaded her to break the engagement—that's none of my business, anyway."
"No," Val said. "It's none of your business. I'll tell you this: I didn't ask her to break the engagement. But so long as that was what she wanted, I certainly wasn't going to beg her to change her mind."
Val stood up to go. "If you don't mind, I would rather you said nothing to Princess Lyla about this visit tonight. I'm afraid my misplaced surge of chivalry would make me look like a fool to her."
Then, as an afterthought, Val added, "Mr. Rockford had further business in the city."