She was not so disconcerted by that; he merely shook his head at the Ministry positions. No, that had not gone so well back in Italy, and he had no intention of working like that again here. Carmichael had been in that department before teaching at the school, hadn’t he? And those paths always came to an end, eventually, because having the Sight always got in the way somehow. For Savino’s part, there was nothing more important than learning about the Sight, and he –
Oh, she had turned this back around onto marriage already. Savino stiffened as she brought up Luciana, as if Luciana’s prospects were his problem. Still, if his mother did not care for his sister’s happiness, he felt doubly bound to defend it, so the guilt trip did see him pause. “Of course I want that for her,” he retorted (not bothering to set his wine glass down again, because what was the point?). “So I’ll do my best not to scandalously elope.” There was a veiled threat for her – although cousin Camilla had already done as much, and still hadn’t ruined that side of the family beyond repair. But as for their side... And I’m your only son, Savino thought, wishing he dared say it aloud, so don’t push me.
“No, independent research,” he added instead, almost conciliatory. And if he starved in a garret in the meantime, so be it, that didn’t matter to him. “So I may not have the time to think of marrying for another few years yet.”
Oh, she had turned this back around onto marriage already. Savino stiffened as she brought up Luciana, as if Luciana’s prospects were his problem. Still, if his mother did not care for his sister’s happiness, he felt doubly bound to defend it, so the guilt trip did see him pause. “Of course I want that for her,” he retorted (not bothering to set his wine glass down again, because what was the point?). “So I’ll do my best not to scandalously elope.” There was a veiled threat for her – although cousin Camilla had already done as much, and still hadn’t ruined that side of the family beyond repair. But as for their side... And I’m your only son, Savino thought, wishing he dared say it aloud, so don’t push me.
“No, independent research,” he added instead, almost conciliatory. And if he starved in a garret in the meantime, so be it, that didn’t matter to him. “So I may not have the time to think of marrying for another few years yet.”
