Merida had to force herself to look away from him, to turn her face to her meal and towards the table, to drag her eyes from the highwayman. To not grab his hand and drag him into the gardens, out into the night, to a setting that somehow suited his curls and dark eyes than this stuffy dining room, complete with elderly wizengemot widowed on his other side.

Merida shot Murdock a look of her own, she could only assume that he found her coughing to be drawing too much attention, or was she that obvious in her interest in Mister Dempsey. She didn't think she had been, but she gave him a look to shut him up. She was sure she would hear more of this later, but she was glad that the hostess seemed intent on remedying Murdocks unmarried state with a spinster sister or other, and he was forced to turn his polite attention to her.

'We don't host much' she admitted, and to those in certain circles Murdock ranked as 'important' for his work at the ministry, she didn't really want to introduce him the banalities of her life, her brother was there, the Greybacks had a public presence, if he wanted to know who she was it wouldn't take a lot of effort, but she didn't want that especially. She wanted him to stay the Highway Man, just those dark and handsome eyes, behind his mask, her eyes strayed to the corner of his mouth where she had pressed the kiss when she had stolen his hat.

'I wouldn't deride your hunting skills Mister Dempsey' she teased, trying to keep her tone casual, but her eyes never left his 'You rather hit the mark last time' she took a sip from her wine, glancing over her glass at him.