It was a strange thing, to be back, Britain and its rather restrictive customs could feel more foreign to him than the rest of the world. He had become used to existing in clothing that would be deemed scandalous by London society - for he certainly could not wear all of the layers of modern dress whilst experiencing the Indian Summer.
Calling itself felt strange to him, certainly compared to the more casual interactions that were common in many of England’s colonies around the world. He had developed a habit of simply turning up when he wished to see someone (occasionally with a request of a bed for the evening) and relying on his natural charm to get through.
It had certainly been a long time since he had been in the company of an unmarried, noble, Lady. He could not help but take her in as she entered the room, eyes searching for what was familiar, and what was not. Clever eyes analysing her features, as if trying to match her to the words he knew her by. He realised he had perhaps stared for too long, surprised by the amount of change she had undergone since he had last seen her 12 years ago.
There was a lot there, he decided, that matched his imagination of her, she had the poise, and curiosity, and charm that her letters had always portrayed. It was this realisation that finally settled him, a genuine smile crossing his face.
“I could never be too busy to sate my curiosity in meeting you again!” He told her, relaxing in his chair. One foot rested on the other leg, whilst his elbow was supported by the chair’s back. “I have often mused, Miss. Mallory, that I know London best through your own eyes! I cannot imagine being here and not knowing you in person.”
He nodded in response to her questions “Aye, my health is good, and likely will only benefit from settling for a while. I fear I have rather neglected it at times. A love for mountain climbing, and a long healthy life do not go hand in hand! What of you and your clan? Are your sisters enjoying their marriages?” He shifted to slightly to a much more interesting question, a challenge sparkling in his eyes. “Are you finding the season to your liking?”
“I am sorry to have missed him! I will leave my card with you of course, you can count on my call when he is with you once more.”
How easy it was to settle in familiar banter, like it had happened a thousand times before. And it practically had, just in letters with months in-between. She’d practically learned the art of banter via letters to him, her first target practice for charm and wit, and even the knowledge of she had perhaps been too vulnerable via the written word did not change this fact.
“I hope to travel someday,” said Jacqueline, preparing her tea after the servant brought to tray, “as you know. However, it is hard to deny that there is a beauty all its own in knowing the nooks and crannies of a singular place. Knowing many people is good, for certain, but you never learn a person—or a place—without proper one-on-one conversation that takes slow and extensive time to grow in trust. You could lead me around the world with no trouble but you could drop us in London and I could get us back to proper areas with no trouble while you’d still be making heads or tails of where we were. So you do know London as I do, through the eyes of a genteel lady, and that may not be the London that interests you, however.”
She made a positive approval at him finally taking care of his health but then paused at the challenging question. It wasn’t the first challenge he’d ever given her but it was different to see it in person with a glint in his eye and sitting in the chair across from her with all the confident ease in the world. However, it was certainly a test and, rather than offense, was rather cross he’d gotten the first one in before she, as wary as she’d come in.
But perhaps he’d come in wary too, in his own way, or at least guarded. The fabric of their long-standing acquaintanceship would change, inevitably, with this new variable.
Making her decision on which Jacqueline Mallory to reveal, she set her tea down and leaned back, hands folded together. “The season is exactly what I expected—a battlefield. You were the one who taught me how to keep myself safe should I ever get lost, but I imagined you didn’t think it’d apply for a young lady joining the season. Orient yourself, look for true north, and look for signs of safety or danger. Truly, no lady actually enjoys the season until she is married, I imagine. But will you be strictly on business or shall you be joining the fray—excuse me, the season?”
titsay
blakekathryn
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
areudirty
kianamaiart
snowghoul
kaledo-art
