"Our only fault," the old woman continues, "was allowing the Happy Fish to be run by an inexperienced manager." Ithel looks aside at that, anger in his eyes carefully diverted from his grandmother. "He failed to control the actions of his staff. But the staff are not family members, so it doesn't matter." "But Ellis is family!" Ffion protests. "Ah, perhaps you are not aware." She spreads her hands in a parody of sympathy. "Rhydaber law only considers direct descent. The first Fish teahouse was founded by my mother. But you are the great-grand-daughter of my aunt, and thus you and Ellis are not of direct matrilineal descent."