Simon left his family farm years ago to avoid being forced into marriage. Lord Claudius Calhern hired him on as his family's live-in artist, and not only was he fine with Simon's attraction to men, he revealed he has the same predilections. At last Simon had a life he could be satisfied with, making money from his art, having a fine roof over his head, and maintaining a secret courtship with Claudius. However, Claudius reveals he no longer wants their courtship to be a secret, and the first step towards making it public is to receive approval from both their families. That means returning to the home Simon both misses yet dreads setting foot in again. He hopes his family will care more that he is happy than that he will never take a wife, but he has his doubts. Still, for Claudius's sake, he is willing to find out for certain. After all, how disastrous could a meeting between his highly traditional parents and his eccentric male suitor truly be?