It's such an outlandish offer that Vanessa almost laughs. Almost. She ought to be quite offended, really, and she can't help but use that knowledge to tease him in turn, her eyebrow lifting with a quirk that tugs at the corner of her lips to betrays her amusement.

"You think me the sort of woman to have a tawdry affair? With a novelist, no less."

It sounds the sort of gossip that could fill the streets of London, and one can only wonder where that gossip might lead once in Minaras. Unable to hold long on her firm tone, a light chuckle quickly softens her next words. Not many here seem quick to make jokes, and the levity is surprisingly welcome.

"If you were a poet, then you might have stood a chance."