Rowan blinked. He felt a sudden heat rise up his neck. "I beg your pardon?"
"Attraction," Delaney repeated calmly. "It is a vital component of marriage. Or at least, it helps prevent you from strangling each other by the third week."
She dipped her quill in the ink pot.
"So," she asked again, "what attracts you to a woman?"
Rowan shifted in his seat. He cleared his throat. He had a standard answer for this. He had used it a hundred times in ballrooms and drawing rooms. It was the perfect answer that gave good results.
"Well," Rowan began, putting on his polite smile. "I admire a woman of good breeding. Someone who carries herself with dignity. A woman who is accomplished in the domestic arts and—"
"Stop," Delaney said.
She didn't raise her voice. she just held up a hand.
"Do not give me that speech," she said. "I am not a mother looking for a son-in-law. I am your employee. If you lie to me, I cannot help you."
