Sigler is correct
The control gave us the "except maintain 15,000'" and then when I asked the F/O to clarify did she want us to stop at 15,000 she said no the "climb via the SID" part meant that we could ignore the "except maintain 15,000' (which begged the question why did she say that part of the instruction in the first place). Have to add the controller sounded very young and asked a strange question about our speed which may indicated she was under supervision / training/inexperienced???