Tiberius watched his sister with interest as she delivered this. He had always assumed she and Valerian would make a good match, honestly, and he might have preferred him as a brother-in-law over Macmillan if one discounted career ambitions. Valerian's place in his family was more prestigious than Macmillan's, and he had no prior marriage and no previous children. He was, however, a healer, and Tatiana was not exactly the archetype of a healer's wife. She would be far more suited to a life of political ambition — but the question remained on whether Macmillan could deliver on his ambitions in that area.

Of course, her own feelings were material to the matter as well.

Tiberius watched the steam on his tea for a moment before responding. "I believe you should feel confident of an offer from both quarters," he said, not intending to give the game away but hoping to assure her all the same that the path diverging before her was not Valerian or nothing. "Macmillan would have to be quite foolish to come so far and lose sight of his prize. Which means the choice is yours."