The tea party continued in an atmosphere so precarious it seemed as though it might collapse at any moment.

"Wow, Fernell! This cake is amazing!"

"I wonder what kind of cream they used. Fernell, do you happen to know?"

"Ahem, well... let me see. This soft yet sticky texture feels like it might be mixed with cream cheese. Judging by the flavor, perhaps mascarpone..."
-Side glance.
"...or it could be ricotta. Maybe even pecorino. It's hard to rule anything out."

After her earlier mistake, Fernell had shifted into a highly defensive stance, throwing out vague possibilities like fishing …