Liliana nearly made the fatal misstep of freezing upon those words; only centuries of deception let her continue on with not even a hitch in her strolling stride.

Damned too-perceptive paramours.

"Me? Scheming?" she asked with exaggerated innocence. "You don't believe I have been struck with the overwhelming desire to join the ranks of do-gooders?" Her over the top shock lasted through until her brain could hastily provide a convenient explanation. "My darling, that's terribly hurtful. Surely I could have no ulterior motives...like shoving myself directly where I'm not wanted and making them choke on the everything that I am."

Well, she didn't have to feign that bout of spiteful amusement and offense, at least. It would have the utter ring if truth.