"You offend my honor," Sonia says breezily in protest. Gosh, Byerly, it's rude to keep throwing around the word Jacksonian. "And, might I remind you, you do not possess the bargaining chip."

A little wave of the paper-wrapped sugar. His offer is an obvious bait, plain as day, but Sonia's amused enough to let herself take it. Curiosity beats out austerity every time. She lifts her chin at him, eyebrows delicately raised, trying not to smile, though not too hard. "Oh? And what is that?"