Delia felt completely blindsided. While he was usually very sweet and loving towards his daughter, in situations like this he would grumble, or yell, or at least be a little sore that all her pestering of him had come to nothing. But kisses, smiles and a reassuring tone, never! She seemed so stunned that she had to take a moment and sort out her head, and to make sure this was not some strange dream, before she would say a word.
"I'm not upset about the idiot major and his stuffy father, Papa. Honestly, if I had to spend any more time with that man I would have put a pistol to my temple to save myself from sheer boredom. I can do so much better, and I intend to, I was just worried about upsetting you. I overestimated my charm without my usual thorough follow through, and it won't happen again, I promise." she didn't address his words on her being swept off her feet, mainly because she did not want to discuss that with him. She didn't want to fall in love, did not want to be so charmed that she forgot herself. Women who were swept off their feet usually ended up with a bun in the oven and not a penny to their names. She did not allow herself to feel any sort of genuine affection for the men that courted her, she hadn't been able to since Jack, and even then it was hard for her. She had loved her mother and she had broken her heart, she would not let that happen again.