"Yes, yes, I know that's coming up." It had been hard to forget with all the extra care and attention the event was receiving. Betans. He's not sure he'd understand them even if he took as much time to study them as he has Barrayarans.

"I was hoping no one would see any of this," he mutters to himself as he starts undoing the clasps on his shirt. Having staff in general was a novelty that was slowly becoming daily life for him. How many of them had seen the package come in? Surely it had been one of the ImpSec guard assigned to his Residence. Wonderful. Any hope at keeping his sex life, or attempt at one, private were shattered.