'Getting on good terms with Jeffrey now will be greatly beneficial for the future.'
Valentino watched Robson in surprise. She knew just how difficult her cousin could be. Jeffrey was the type who would barely utter a word, yet she never expected Robson to get him to open up with just a few short sentences, allowing him to speak so freely.
Many more people arrived in succession. Most of them greeted Robson and Valentino. The few who didn't were either Counts from the northern faction or those displeased with Louis III's recent distribution.
Robson, for his part, welcomed all comers. Anyone willing to greet him was a friend.
This was more than just a simple greeting. These people wouldn't be there for you in a crisis, but they were experts at adding to one's success. And when enough people were doing so, it represented a qualitative shift in power.
