Once again Mr. Dempsey offered a very diplomatic answer. He would make a good politician, Emilia thought, one couldn’t be too candid if they wanted to have any success in that sphere. That was why her dear Jude would only ever be a successful politician on the streets and not the Wizengamot. He was too honest and too vocal about it.

Their conversation was gaining an audience, not surprising given that she was the hostess and he a Ministerial candidate. A young girl, one of the many Misses Valenduris scoffed at his answers and Emilia found herself giving her a smile, before turning her attention back at Mr. Dempsey.

“So, do you believe that gender is totally, or rather, should be totally irrelevant in whether someone ought to vote or not?” Emilia asked, realising that she was starting to feel a sense of delight in her Socratic taunting of him.