The offer to bring Saoirse along is a relief, for the most part. Honestly, if Magnus is throwing a party and inviting children on purpose, she feels all but duty-bound to bring the girl along; she doesn't want to imagine the look she'd get if she had the audacity to show up without Saoirse in tow.

On the other hand, she knows what a convenient buffer children can be. It feels like the nearest thing they could get to being chaperoned, and she can't help but wonder if this is an exceedingly gracious willingness to include her young charge -- further reassurance that Saoirse isn't a problem -- or an attempt to keep things from getting too... improper.

And it's not as if she can really fault him for wanting to, what, progress at some sort of rational pace? She's the one getting ahead of herself. She should be thanking her lucky stars (or perhaps just Mad Sweeney) for every moment she gets with him, not chomping at the bit, in pursuit of more than he's willing to offer.

"I'm sure she'd love to come along," she says, hoping her smile isn't coming across as rueful. "And I'm sure Magnus would be thoroughly unimpressed if I left her at home. He's rather fond of her, as well."