His eyes caught his date, and -for a moment- he forgot that he was there for political appeasement.  He raised a casual hand to forestall the hostess, as Evelyn Frost approached, her hands settling on his forearm.  The contact sent a strange flutter erupting into his stomach, and the chaste brush of lips-to-cheek had his cheeks flushing ever so faintly.  Rivalry being what it was, the eldest Murphy had harbored something of a private infatuation for the scion of House Frost for years.  Quietly.  And well hidden.<br/><br/>"You made it safely,"  He said, with a smile that only felt slightly forced.  "You're sure nobody followed you?"  That was -of course- for the hostess's benefit.  And the benefit of any would-be eavesdroppers, before they were well on their way to the table.  The thought occurred to him to pull out the lady's chair, but already she was draping her jacket on the back.  He supposed it was a tired cliche anyhow.  So he subsided in his own seat, his jacket neatly folded over the back.<br/><br/>Once they were settled in, he leaned forward, a slightly mischievous smile flicking over his face.  "Well,"  He began slowly, studying the woman's face.  She was a better actor than he.  Casey had always worn his heart on his sleeve, and guile was perhaps the weakest of his talents.  But the show had to go on.  "If you're dead set on the trite dinner proposal, I could go down on one knee here and now, I suppose.  We might not even have to have dinner then.  You could work up some tears, cover your mouth and nod, and we could make off like we were going to be romantic somewhere less public."  He suggested.<br/><br/>"Or,"  He laid his hand halfway across the table, palm up in invitation for the woman to take it in hers.  "We could spend the space of a dinner getting to know one another a bit better, and I could surprise you with something a little more genuinely romantic.  After all, just because it's a necessity, doesn't require it to be a misery.  No matter where it happens, I have a sneaking suspicion we'll be followed, viewed, and put in the papers all the same.  Thanks to our somewhat less constrained siblings."<br/><br/>"You look lovely tonight, by the way."