Heat rose in her cheeks again, heavier this time. The rational part of her mind recoiled at once. She was a married woman. A mother. A countess who had spent years protecting her family's reputation.
Accepting such an arrangement would cross lines she had never imagined approaching.
She stared at him.
"You are suggesting…" Her voice came out lower than she intended. "That I take the place of my own daughter in this technique?"
Julian's expression remained composed.
"I am suggesting that the method does not require betrothal to function. It requires a willing partner and consistent practice. You have already experienced a fraction of what it can do. If you wish to continue, the choice exists. If you do not, then nothing further needs to be said."
