Gwenaëlle laughs, startled - it hadn't been her intention, it's been years since anyone would swing her in the air like that, but she's hardly going to complain. (Maybe she's missed it, a bit, not having to be quite so concerned with the maintenance of one's dignity.)

But on that other note -

"My lord sends his regrets," dutifully, refraining from any editorial remarks on the subject of her father's many regrets and the nature thereof - in this, even she isn't skeptical of his sincerity or his motives. Emeric's fondness for Aleron is known, and it's likely that could he have attended, he would have; it certainly can't thrill him that Gwenaëlle instead attended on the arm of her grandfather, a father-in-law that he has never cared for and has strongly attempted to discourage association with since the late Comtesse Vauquelin's death.

The antipathy between the Duke de Coucy and his son-in-law is just as common knowledge, but Gwenaëlle has always been her grandfather's favourite. Aleron seems unlikely to be one to begrudge that, when she does her level best to be his favourite, too.

"Gifts, too, I'm sure, but those will likely come later. Have you any plans, or will it be straight back to work?"