[Beyond a brief pause before he answers--pause in dialogue, not motion, since he is pulling a chair out for her at the table--there's nothing to show his brief, obsolete worry that she may be the only person in Luceti who noticed his real name on the draft list. And knew what it meant. He knows he's mentioned Dorca and Ezar Vorbarra as previous emperors. He just hadn't been expecting the Malnosso to out him.]
It's a pleasure to accept them both. Perhaps you'd like to try a Barrayaran red while I answer your questions. [A Vorkosigan district vintage turned up in the item shop, and he'd snagged it while no one was looking. That stuff is gold. Wine and maple syrup, that's the Vorkosigan district contribution to the Barrayaran economy. Also, lots of radiation. He wonders if the old capital has stopped glowing.]
[Action]
It's a pleasure to accept them both. Perhaps you'd like to try a Barrayaran red while I answer your questions. [A Vorkosigan district vintage turned up in the item shop, and he'd snagged it while no one was looking. That stuff is gold. Wine and maple syrup, that's the Vorkosigan district contribution to the Barrayaran economy. Also, lots of radiation. He wonders if the old capital has stopped glowing.]