"Ah, right. No, I never married." She showed him her left hand, the lack of a wedding ring. It was the only time she'd ever gone against Mother's wishes, a symbolic rebellion. "I was an intellectual in a time that profoundly did not favor women, and I didn't see the need for a husband. I can never decide if that makes me cold or not."

Julianna ate more bread, picked up a mushroom. "And I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'slum it'," she said in a more neutral voice. It sounded faintly provocative, and she wanted to keep her mind out of the gutter tonight.

"I like to relax as much as the next person, the stereotype of the fuddy-duddy professor aside. You might have to be more specific about what you mean."