In this excerpt from "The Ringed Castle" by Dorothy Dunnett, the characters discuss two individuals who are absent: Danny Hislop and an artist named Blacklock. The scene involves a conversation between characters riding together, where the Chancellor inquires about these missing persons, indicating their importance or relevance to the story.

Ludovic d'Harcourt responds silently, while Lymond provides a remark suggesting that Danny and Blacklock are currently undergoing some form of correction or discipline. Lymond's comment implies skepticism about their chances of being truly corrected or chastened, hinting at complex relationships and underlying tensions among the characters.