Malcolm's scrutinizing gaze had fixed on Nancy's face and he ignored Ainsley kicking him under the table.

"You keep looking over there," he pointed out mildly, gesturing towards another table. "Did they put you up to coming over here?" he asked, but he didn't wait for her to answer because he'd already read it in her expression. "No, but you want them to see you. You have something to prove to them." He watched her carefully. "To them but also to everybody. Nobody in this room is worth more than the attention they get, right?"

"Malcolm..." Jessica hissed in warning.

Also ignored.

"You want the attention Jessica Whitly gets when she enters the room. You can't get it the way she does. You couldn't handle notoriety anyway; you don't have the spine to wear that hat. So you think you can just...skim a little off of her."

Nancy was starting to look rattled. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times but nothing came out.

"I'd suggest skimming elsewhere," he told her. "It's okay to want to be seen. It's normal. But maybe learn to sing or something," he suggested, picking up his spoon and digging into his soup again.

She gave him and then the table a dirty look and walked off. Jessica put a hand to her forehead.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Do what?" Malcolm asked innocently, putting a spoonful of soup in his mouth.

"You know perfectly well," she said with no real condemnation.