dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight

A deeply passionate young man, Percy’s convictions are strong. He is also profoundly impulsive, leaping into action without a single thought. He falls easily in and out of love, challenges the positions of powerful men, and fights (illegal) duels all without a single thought. However, he’s also a gifted orator, given to moving speeches, making him a powerful ally in the political sphere, as his words ring true and passionate, filled with idealistic conviction. Percy is a very intelligent person, after all - but a very wise one, he most certainly is not.

[percytemple]

@lcdyevelyn

The carriage rumbled along beneath them, bumping and swiveling, but Percy hardly felt a moment of discomfort.  His fingers weaving with hers, in and out, in and out, he smiled into Evie’s jade eyes fondly, caressing the soft outline of her jaw.  “My beautiful wife,” he whispered fondly, planting a kiss by her chin, down, along her jawline, upon her neck.  “Lady Palmerston,” he added with a jut of his brow.

Once before, Percy had had a Mrs. Temple - at that time, it had not ever occurred to him that he might call a wife of his own by another name, altogether, but he found this new title of his suited Evie entirely better than something so droll as a mere Mrs. T------ should have done.  No, no, here was a woman born to hold her head aloft, crowned with a diadem.  More jewels than he had to give ought to have stubbed her fingers, her throat, her ears, but all that had once belonged to his grandmother were now Evie’s and, Percy hoped, in time he might acquire still more for his own lady.

Yet, there were other matters, too, to consider, Percy realized as London appeared upon the horizon.  Married in thunderous haste in Scotland, Percy did not know whether to expect that the Ton should be aware of their new state or not.  Further, he was uncertain how to handle the situation, either way.  Given his own inexperience with the Ton, he decided to appeal to her greater wisdom upon the subject.

“Do you think they’ve heard the news, by now?” he inquired, running his fingers tenderly across the top of her palm, his eyes flashing to hers, again.  “I wish you to know, I am most proud to call you my own, but I am also well aware that the circumstances may be considered...scandalous.  After all, you had far loftier expectations, when we left London.  I shall be guided by your wishes in how we proceed in acquainting the world with our new state and, therefore, my own darling, I must ask - what are your wishes with regard to that?”

[percytemple]

glbvrt

If Gilbert was being entirely honest with himself, he was not feeling even a little sad about the King’s illness. Not that he would share this with anyone, or that the suffering of a man brought him any kind of joy. But the King was, to him, a symbol of everything wrong with the country he just now started calling home. Just like King Louis back in France, a man who didn’t seem to care for his subjects. And sometimes, you had to rip the evil on its roots.

Even if Gilbert did not know much about the Prince of Wales, it seemed like change could resolve many of England’s problems. The Prince was, for one, a Whig, which he understood to be the lesser of evils when it came to political parties. And a new monarch, even if just a Regent, would lighten up the people’s spirits, and maybe even make them start clamoring for change.

And this idea made Gilbert hopeful. He was strolling along the park with a visible happy demeanor, a man with no worried in the entire world. Oh, if only that were true. “Lord Percy, what a wonderful surprise!” The sight of his friend was a welcome one, especially amongst the sea of people he knew nothing about. “It does seem as if the sun decided to finally come out of its far too dark manor. How can the people of London not ache for more days like this?” So far, no one seemed all to bothered by England’s sorrowful weather. He truly missed his time in Italy and the cloudless days of sun.

Percy did a double take.  Blithe in his excitement at the prospect of change, he’d addressed a familiar face without taking in the implications of its presence - for example, the fact that the last time he’d seen Gilbert Seymour, Percy had been a mere, struggling lieutenant...or, even more so, that these encounters had occurred in far-off France.  Naturally, Percy had heard some whispers that the old duke, Gilbert’s father, was dying, and he knew there to be a great deal of suspense regarding the identity of the next duke, given the old one’s decided lack of legitimate offspring.  More than that, however, had never reached Percy, heightening the surprise.

“Good Lord, Seymour, is that really you?” cried Percy, delighted.  He chuckled at himself.  “I don’t think I fully comprehended just whom I was addressing, till I heard your voice.  By Jove, it’s good to see you!  Finally left France behind, eh?” he inquired.

For his own part, Percy had left after the death of Angelique, but a part of him wondered if he might not still be there, even now, had she lived.  But, no, even that was a daydream.  Had Angelique lived, she would have done so upon his salary, which would have compelled them both to go wherever His Majesty’s Navy pleased.  Still, that was a pleasant daydream as well: Percy was confident his Angelique would have loved to see the world, just as Percy did.

“I quite imagined you to be lost to the Continent, forever.  Have the charms of the Sorbonne soured since last I was there?”

Grinning brightly as Gilbert mentioned the weather, Percy cast his glance upwards with great appreciation.  “I can’t imagine.  You know I love England but...I rather thought the sky completely dour upon returning from the West Indies.  Today, though, today one might almost imagine the clouds of England have reconciled with the sun.”  

Percy arched his brows, the comparison mirroring what he hoped soon the political situation of England might be - Whigs and Tories living in harmony as England achieved further greatness, serving her people rather than living off of them.  “I must say, your timing is rather good.  Knowing you, I daresay you’re pleased to have returned to England in time to find her throne unoccupied?”

[percytemple]

It would be wrong to imply that Percy was in any way pleased that anything but good had befallen the king.  He did not wish ill upon a single person and certainly he was not so bad a subject as to wish for anything but good for him.  He had hoped, many times, for a change of heart, but not for this.  It was fully accurate, however, to suggest that he saw this new situation as an opportunity.  

It was well known that the King gave his support to the Tory party; it was equally well known that the Prince of Wales gave his to the Whigs.  If the King was unable to rule, the obvious Regent was, naturally, the Prince which was, in turn, a promising situation for the Whigs.  Now, Percy felt sure, was their opportunity to do good for this nation.  Perhaps, by the time the King was well again and enough change had been wrought, the King, himself, would be brought round to see how much better England was in the hands of the opposite party: everyone would see.

Percy could hardly contain his excitement at the prospect.  So it was that in cheerful good spirits, he made his way through the park.  The sun had hardly ever felt brighter; the flowers rarely seemed so vibrant or sweet-smelling.  Percy took this as a sign of favor from the Almighty, a sign that all soon would be well and the path was paved.

“Good morning,” he greeted the first person he saw.  “A splendid glorious day, is it not?  I can hardly believe how well all the world looks, today!”

[percytemple]

lcdylucretia

Lucretia smiled to the Viscount, before pursing her lips in thought. Did she have a favourite book? Oh, yes, and great many of them, if she were completely honest. However will she be able to just pick one, when there were so many writers whom she had adored, and cherished? Many worlds which allowed her an escape from a boring habit; “It is a difficult one, i must admit. I quite enjoy Shakespeare, and I am most fond of his Midnight Summer’s Night’s Dream, but I have a soft spot for ancient writers as well. I quite like Homer, and his Odyssey.” She replied after  along moment, before asking; “And yours? Do you have a favourite?”

Nodding furiously at his words, Lucy agreed with a passion yet unseen by anyone outside her family. “Indeed, that is true! Their philosophy is so simple, yet it is complex, and demands a better understanding of oneself, and the world around us. The world, it seems, have been much simpler back then, and much more enjoyable, at least in my modest opinion.” She replied with a light blush, before tilting her head in question; “Horace? I have certainly had him in mind, next. I quite like Roman writers, but I have quite the soft spot for the Greeks. I quite enjoyed Medea, as well. In the original Greek? It is divine.”

She listened to him as he spoke of travel, and of home, and a light smile bloomed on her lips. “I shall certainly take the opportunity, if it ever arises. Perhaps my future fiance will like to travel, if my father finds a suitable marriage.” She said with a light pout on her lips; mostly inthought. “Have you been back in England for long, my Lord?” Lucretia turned to her companion, and smiled kindly.

“I realized as soon as the question passed my lips that it was perhaps a mite too broad,” laughed Percy.  “I crave your pardon.  My intention was simply to decipher where your tastes most direct you, and I found your impressions to be most laudable.  Sadly, I fear I am no mete companion in this: my own tastes are rather more pedestrian than yours have proven to be.  I was rather partial to Robinson Crusoe and even The Castle of Otranto and - though not a book - She Stoops to Conquer I found endlessly entertaining.  You see, my education was, if I may say so, excellent, but at heart I fear I am a rather prosaic soul.”  Percy grinned.  “But I must say, I’m rather impressed by anyone who lists A Midsummer Night’s Dream alongside The Odyssey in terms of one’s favorites.  Your governess must have been deeply proud.”

He smiled.  “That is, I think, the very beauty of it.  As to enjoyments,” he replied.  “I dare not speculate, but in terms of simplicity, I think I may readily conjecture that the Ancients had that in abundance.  I confess, I somewhat envy them the charms of that, simpler, existence.  Certainly, there were trade-offs, but as to the art produced by antiquity, why, Elegy Written In a Country Churchyard, while stupendous, must pale in comparison to the works of Catallus.”  Percy’s brows rose.  “You read ancient Greek?  My word but that’s impressive.  For myself,” he joked.  “I know just enough to confuse anyone who actually understands the language.”

Percy’s expression was gently.  “I very much hope, for your sake, that either your father or your future husband, if not both, can be persuaded to permit you to travel.  I think it the very crown of education to see the world and, if I had my way, each and every person in the world would be able to take advantage of such opportunities.”  

Still, that flagged dangerously close to politics and, slowly, Percy shook his head.  “But, then, I suppose there are many people who do not wish to go abroad.”  Slowly, he shook his head.  “But long at all,” he replied.  “A little over a month, now, I suppose.  I confess, in many ways I’m still adapting.  I’ve got quite used to moving about constantly.  Only a few weeks in, and already some part of me feels it must be time to be moving on.  But I’ll get around that,” he promised.  “I intend for London to be my home for the foreseeable future, now.”

[percytemple]

sxphiacavendish

My how the young boy had grown up. Gone was the soft, puppy dog fat around the edge that all adolescents had, replaced with a smoother fellow, with a strong jawline – but always those eyes, deep as pools, and that smile. That smile could light up a room when it wanted to. It was as if all the years had faded away to nothing as he closed the space between them, his warm hands finding hers. She allowed him to hold her hands, the first time a man had done such in a very long time, as her gaze traced over his features, taking everything in. It had been years since they had last each other, a close friendship as children that had turned into penpals. Great reams of paper they had sent back and forth to each other, neatly detailing every little moment of their lives for the other to live vicariously through. His letters had continued, even as he left the continent. Hers had not.

Her loss. Yes it was hard to put into words, though it seemed he did try. Her grief would have been difficult to understand if she had merely lost a son, or merely lost her husband. To lose both was a blow far greater than anyone could ever truly fathom. She dropped her hands away from his, moving them instead to intertwine her fingers around each other, linking and unlinking her hands. “It is no ones fault” she said meekly, a reminder to herself that there was no blame or fault to answer for her loss. “But I do truly appreciate that”. She would not call on him though. Her grief was one she had to bear alone, her burden to carry. She would not be so cruel as to involve another in her pain. “Yes, if you can forgive me” she asked him, glancing up at him hesitantly. “Your letters were a great comfort to me, and…” she tailed off, worrying at the corner of her lip with her teeth. “Truly I regret not writing back, I have no excuse”

He was intruding of course, that much was clear from the fact that no matter how much she had tried to improve her appearance, nothing could betray her more than the silk housecoat she wore and her slightly rumpled complexion. Sleep still clung to her eyelashes, and she brushed the flecks of dust away from her eyes. “Of course you are not intruding, you never could”. Glancing around the room to make eye contact with the servant that stood in the corner of the room, she gave an imperceptible nod, sending the servant out of the room for tea. “Please sit” gesturing at the armchair behind him, she sat in the one opposite, careful to pull the housecoat around her slim frame.

“Ah yes” she exclaimed softly, “I have not officially reintroduced myself”. No that joy and honour would come soon enough, but she had just about managed to delay, hiding away in her rooms whilst her siblings attended the theatre and Almack’s in her stead. She would have perhaps made it the entire season without truly announcing her return were it not for the fact that the whispers of her return had already set in motion. “It is loud” she decided after a moments thought. “Far louder than Surrey – and busy too”. She had not remembered it being so busy the last time she had visited, but then that had been many years ago, when she was all wide eyed naivety and innocence, looking upon London as a golden palace, a fairground in which to play. Now everything did seem to have lost its lustre, just a little bit. “But I shall adjust – now, tell me your news, for I do love a surprise as you well know”

He watched her pull away from him with a sinking feeling.  There was no way, of course, but he wished he could fix this for her, remove whatever hurt coiled in the pit of her stomach to sting at her.  It’s presence was familiar to Percy, a recollection he preferred to keep locked away in the dark recesses of his mind, as out of the way as any thought or memory or experience could ever be.  He hoped she hadn’t found him: her boy, her husband.  He hoped she’d been spared that pain, at least.  More than that, he did not know what to hope: only that she might find comfort and peace, despite her present devastation.

“No,” agreed Percy, softly.  In his case, he’d almost wished someone were to blame.  In that case, he might well have been able to do something, make some action that might have helped him overcome grief, but in her case, he sensed it was quite the opposite so, carefully, he repeated the words back to her.  “It is no one’s fault.”

Percy laughed in astonishment at her request.  “Forgive you?  My darling friend, there is nothing to forgive.  I confess, I wondered at the lack of writing at first, but it did not take me long to realize how very busy your married life must have been.  A maiden or a sailor might have time to write, but a wife and mother...finding the time must have been difficult.”  What he did not say was that, in truth, there had been a shameful spark of hurt, at first, when time wore on and on and on, and no letters came.  But he’d known, even then, how silly, how selfish that had been and now, more than ever, he was ashamed of himself for having felt as he did.  No, he would never utter any of that to her.  She need have no more heaped upon her.  “No,” he assured her.  “It is already forgotten.  And, in any case, now we are here together, there is no need of writing.”

Percy was grateful as she assured him of his welcome and sank into the proffered seat.  He was sure he’d done some damage to whatever plans she’d had for the day but, he hoped, those plans had not been so very precious and the new trajectory for the day, presented by his intrusion, was pleasant.  “Thank you,” he said, warmly, favoring her with a bright grin.

He laughed.  “Louder than the West Indies, as well,” he replied, eyes twinkling.  “I’ve hardly managed more than a two hours together of sleep, yet.  But, then, I think the lack of rocking may have some part to play in that, as well.”

As she asked for his news, he sucked in a deep breath.  Now that it came time to tell the tale, he hardly knew how to say it at all, how to convey, or where to begin, the business of his recent betrothal.  It had all got jumbled up in his head, somehow.  “I-” he cut off, frowned as he struggled for words.  “I’ve gotten...I’m engaged,” he blurted, finally.  “I...I realize, now, I hardly know how it happened,” he added, laughing.  “But I doubt that much shall surprise you.  I met, you know, this wonderful girl not twenty days ago.  She’s...lovely and lively and, and laudable,” he added with a quirk of his brow, laughing at himself for his sudden profusion of alliteration.  “Then I learned that she was to be married.  I couldn’t face loosing her, Sophia, loosing her like-”

He cut off, suddenly, eyes registering surprise as he realized what he’d almost let slip, then shaking his head.  “Sophia...is there...”  He swallowed sharply, hung his head.  “I think I have something else I must tell you, as well.  But...if I do, I must swear you to absolute secrecy.  Knowing these conditions, would you care to hear it?”

[percytemple]

lcdyevelyn

The grin which formed on his face was delightful, and Evelyn matched with one of her own. It seemed that the time halted for a moment, erasing any and all setting around them. She cared very little that the man she was supposed to marry was still far too close for her comfort, but she was happy; happy that she might, after all, have a happy ending. Not quite fairytale, as she was more than aware of the fact that her marriage with Percy would bring about a colossal scandal, but at this very moment, she just couldn’t, and didn’t, care. At all. Nothing existed aside from her, and her beloved. “I do love you, Percy.” She softly replied, and even her voice seemed to have smiled along with the two of them. Yes, there was true, andprofound, happiness in the air, enveloping them like a warm bubble in the winter’s chill; or a cooling sliver of shadows in the scorching summer sun. Perhaps the reason for such a deluge, which isolated her from her family, was simply Fate’s cunning, guiding hand, to bring two separate souls and make them one.

And there was it; the moment of clarity, and peace, and serenity, despite the glumness of the day, the threat of nearby presence of the others, or the social antics which made little sense to anyone who had a brain to think with. They were just two people, very much in love with each other, and it reflected in their eyes as they drew together. Her heart was surprisingly calm, but excited nonetheless, at the feather-light touch of Percy’s fingers. The steady beat of her heartquickened, however, at the promise of a kiss, and with a silent invitation, she allowed him to kiss her - a kiss which she had eagerly returned. Her own arms snaked around his neck, securing the grip they’ve had on each other - yet, it seemed that, no matter how tightly she held onto him, they could not be as close as she wanted; not with the gnawing thought of the lack ofprivacy.

He was breathless, her acknowledgement of love seemed a dizzy dream of hope, rather than a reality.  Laughingly, smilingly, he held her close, gazing into her eyes, the heady rush of feeling overwhelming him.  “God, can it be so?  Can I be so blessed as this?” he asked, eyes dancing with joy.  Gently, he leaned down, resting his brow against hers, savoring the sweet closeness they shared, the dear moment he knew, already, he would cherish in memory for decades to come.  

“I did not imagine,” he confessed, eyes shut as he breathed in the scent of her.  “That you would accept me.  I hardly know now what to do with myself: I feel as though I shall fly to each corner of the earth to shout my hopes to the world,” he laughed.  He paused.  “You won’t mind being Lady Palmerston, a mere viscountess, when you might have been Duchess of Norfolk?”

Feeling his kiss so eagerly returned, he grinned, his lips still moving against hers, until at last they pulled away again for want of air.  “I am happy beyond reason,” he told her, breathlessly.  “I cannot think for love of you.  Say you will stay with me, always, Evie, say you will not leave me.”

But noting her expression, he glanced around him.  “Am I too eager?” he inquired, stepping back from her.  “I forget myself and the place.  I...I suppose...” he frowned, remembering that she had, but a few moments ago, another fiancé, entirely.  “There are matters to be...sorted out.  What shall we do?” he asked.  “How should you like best to proceed?  I am, you see, your servant, wanting only to please you.  I shall do whatever you ask.”

[theresadurham]

{ OPEN }

Shopping had never been one of her favourite activities, nor did she wish to spend her time doing so if there were many other things she could do instead. However, there was no one at home, and even if her husband were, it would be just the same. A quite townhouse had become her current nightmare and she missed the beautiful country house where she had grown up in. She certainly missed the warm springs and hot summers, the beautiful colours of the sea and how it seemed the sun had more light than it did in London. Or she simply did not like that city at all.

Theresa was in a very good mood, having received a letter from her mother where she had not mentioned children at all, and the young Countess accept it as a small victory. She continued walking around the shop, singing softly a Portuguese lullaby her babá used to sing for her every night. Her hand reached for a turquoise fabric, it was soft between her fingertips – it would made a find dress or a gorgeous robe. Her thought got interrupted by a subtle tug, and as she looked up, she found another person holding the same fabric. “Keep it,” she said with a smile. Her accent wasn’t as thick as it used to be, but still adorned every word. “This colour will look nice on you.”

[percytemple]

Percy smiled softly.  “Oh, it’s...not for me.”  It occurred to him, as he was saying these words, that perhaps he ought to consider freshening his wardrobe - after all, he was a viscount now and, soon enough, a married man again.  But the words were already gone and he chose, instead, to focus on the moment.  

“I was merely...” Percy licked his lips.  Percy’s mind was very much occupied with his future wedding and Evie had mentioned, in passing, her want of new raiment when she became viscountess.  He’d been floating through the shop, thinking of this, when he’d stumbled upon the luxurious sea foam green - the same shade as her eyes.  Caught up in the comparison, he had hardly noted that another person had, simultaneously, attempted to pick it up.  “Wedding shopping,” he said, finally, with a shrug.  “Her eyes are much the same hue as this cloth,” he explained.  “But I can’t say whether or not she’d like it.  I simply took a shine to it as a result of the likeness.”  He laughed at himself.

“Speaking of which,” added Percy, suddenly.  “Might I intrude upon your shopping for a moment to inquire of your opinion?  My fiancée has intimated that she should like news clothes upon our marriage.  What...fashions would best suit?  I find I’m perfectly helpless in keeping up to date with what is most stylish upon the feminine form at any given moment.”

[percytemple]

vcughan

surprise flashes in her eyes , but it is brief , fleeting. she did not expect to see an old friend back in London , having heard he was far away from England. the rumour of his ascension to the title reached her , but she knew better than to listen to rumours ; they were often false. “ if it isn’t theelusive lord Temple. so , for once the rumours are true. “ she speaks in a gentle tone , her smile beaming as she regarded her childhood friend. it’s been years since they last talked , as he was somewhat closer to her sister , than he was with her , but they were always good friend - & he was among the rare few who understood her. “ my apologies , a viscount. you must bedelighted. “ tone shifts into something gently teasing , & she encircles his arm with her own.

“ let us walk , then. the last time I have served as a tour guide we wandered off in another direction , so I cannot promise I’ll get you home in time. “ quiet laughter leaves her lips , then turns to a hum. “ I did not feel like enduring the endless boastfulness of men , & the parading of the flock of hens we call ladies. I told my brother he can give an odious apology in my name , but I was reluctant to leave Tilda alone. you know how society is when someone follows their hart. they swarm like leeches & make you ill wish half the globe. “ she speaks , lip only briefly curling in a distasteful manner , before it falls , & a gentle smile returns. “ it seems a shame we’ve missed it. sounds like they had a lovely time. “ Claire was only mildly informed about his adventures , & misadventures , in the vast world & she never was the one to pry , but she found herself asking ; “ how have you been all these years , my old friend ? “

Percy chuckled with pleasure at her description of him.  “I must confess, in this instance, they are,” he replied.  “As is yours.  I have been too long away, though I cannot pretend to have regretted my absence, during it.  You would have loved the West Indies,” he added.  “Still so wild and untamed compared to our own island.  Still, for all that, I am glad to be back, now, and all the more so, now that I see you.  Have you been long in town?”  Percy snickered when she mentioned his delight, replying in kind, “More than words can say.”  He shook his head, “No, I mustn’t tease on this subject.  In truth, I am very grateful for the unexpected opportunities presented by my new circumstances.  Now, for the first time in my life, I am in a position to do some good in this world.”  

He laughed, again.  “But, then, for all that gratitude, I confess there are some aspects I find less pleasant...paperwork being chief among them,” he added with a laugh, knowing that she, too, would see the humor of picturing someone so active and energetic as Percy bent over paperwork indoors all day.

“Fortunately,” chuckled Percy.  “I am in no hurry and am just as pleased to have an excuse to tarry awhile with an old friend.  There is so much about which we must catch up!  So much time has passed!  I think I half expected the clock to stand still here while I was gone...I confess, I am a touch stunned by just how much has changed since last I was here!  I hope you will tell me everything.”

Percy nodded.  “I can certainly sympathize with that,” he replied.  Percy had always been one to leap to action - all the standing still and talking about action rather than taking it was already beginning to wear on him, but he was optimistic that his efforts would pay off.  “It seems there is a great deal more chatter about the concept of change than actual change.  I had hoped, in my zeal, that events might be a touch more...fast paced in terms of law and governmental change, but I see now that was only my own naivety.  I ought to have seen more clearly, as you do, and realized what my fate would be.”

Anger crept into Percy’s chest at the thought of how Matilda was being treated.  He stopped dead, fighting off the impulse to run off to her house on the spot and tell off anyone dawdling outside for a look at her.  Realizing, however, this would only worsen matters, he began to walk with Claire again.  “Lord, I wish there were something we could do!  The world is a cruel place for lovers.”  Percy knew this well from personal experience.  It grieved him more than words to know that such cruelty was even now being visited upon his old friend.  “But I fear the only thing to be done is to wait it out.  Another scandal will arise and the world will move on and forget this one.”  He paused.  “How do you deal with it?”

[percytemple]

lcdylucretia

Recognising the man as someone with whom her father was well acquainted, Lady Godwin offered him a polite smile - something that came far too easily to someone of her character; always friendly, and always sweet. Whether it was because of her mother’s numerous lessons inproper etiquette, or simply because she was a lovely person per se, she always liked makingfriends. It made her parents proud - bonus points if they were whigs. “Indeed. Nothing better to pass the time as a great book.” She commented, before her eyebrows shot up in surprise - albeit a pleasant one; “You know Ovid? I find him to be most agreeable. Rare few of the ancient writers can capture a moment like he can, although I admit I have a weakness for the Greeks, as well. Their philosophy had no match in today’s world.” Her smile widened.

“I cannot say I share the sentiment, as I have never been away from home long enough tomiss it. England is in my blood, but I would certainly like to see more of the world.” She commented, before remembering her manners; “Please, Lord Temple, do join me. There is plenty of room for both of us.” She gracefully motioned with her hand towards the empty spot beside her, on the bench. Humming lightly in agreement, Lucretia nodded; “Quite fond. There is nothing as refreshing as rain, I would say, and I am more than fond of thunders. The way they light up a night is simply breathtaking.”

Percy grinned.  Personally, he preferred pastimes of activity and adventure, but he also thoroughly understood that such pastimes were, more likely than not, forbidden young ladies and, thus, reading about them was no doubt the closest opportunity most of them ever had.  Thus, in all sympathy, he replied, “I am forced to agree.  Any pastimes where one may travel whole worlds in the breadth of a moment and live a thousand lives between the covers, is a most fascinating pastime.  Do you have any particular favorite book?” he inquired.

“Oh, certainly,” he replied.  “He is a master.  In my opinion, you may have some luck with Horace, if you’re found of Ovid’s exploration of small moments.  Indeed, I would put Horace up against most any of the modern poets.  Perhaps, in a sense, they experienced the world, as it is, in a truer sense than we of modern industry ever shall.”  He smiled as she spoke of the Greeks.  “I am all in agreement when it comes to philosophy.  I confess, the tragic plays are for me too wretched to contemplate with equanimity, but their philosophy rings as true, today, as ever it did when recorded so long ago.  There is much we may learn from the ancients, I believe, if we only approach them with an open heart.”

Percy smiled in gratitude as he sank into the seat beside her.  “Thank you,” he responded.  Hearing her mention of her wish to travel, he nodded.  “If the opportunity ever presents itself, I counsel you take it.  There is nothing like seeing this same earth upon which we stand in all its forms and shades and colors; to see and experience other cultures and places is, I believe, one of the God’s most precious gifts to Creation and must be treasured.  Besides,” he added.  “To me, it only increases love of country when, at last, one ventures home.  For all the beauties elsewhere to be found, there is only in all the world, one England.”

[percytemple]

matildavaughan

As a child, as a daughter, she had no business playing with a boy at such young age instead of playing with dolls with her sisters. Oh, but Matilda has always loved fresh air, freedom and that lovely smile of his. It hadn’t mattered what people had expected of her, or how she was supposed to behave, she had always wanted more. Even though she was no longer that little girl, her heart and mind had barely changed, and now that he was right there before her, it was all she could think of.

“Really?” That was, perhaps, the best news she had received in such a long time. And considering how uncomfortable everything was now, it was such a blessing. Having one of her dearest friends back in her life made her feel a little bit invincible, like it didn’t matter what people think of her, or what they said, because Percy was back and somehow everything was better. “I have, but I did not hear from you after. I was not sure if you would come to claim your title or if you would just–” she shook her head, because it didn’t matter anymore. “Are you doing well?” The title and the fortune were just superficial – but she worried about him. This was quite a change, a responsibility that was just too big.

And she did not blame him for being incredibly busy in his new role, and she imagined that dealing with all that came with it was stressing. She barely remembered how it had been for her brother, yet she had grown up seeing him working his best to keep everything in order. “You are here now, and that is all that matters. I hope it is not as exhausting, but you know you can come anytime you need a moment away from it.”

It was quite a miracle he hadn’t heard anything yet, all considering people weren’t as discreet to talk about them. Especially after the gathering after the play. Matilda smiled, reaching down to smooth the skirts of her dress in a nervous manner. He was family, and she felt the same way as the day she had told her siblings about her relationship with William. “I am to be wed! In a couple of months. There is too much to say about it, if you have the time.”

Percy chuckled softly.  “I understand well why you might have wondered that.  Mine has never been the most constant nature, has it?”  In him, impulsivity had always won out, only ever tempered by his natural kindness, rather than bowing before prudence.  No, Percy knew why she might imagine he would have simply cast away his title and, indeed, his old self most likely would have.  If he hadn’t been caught up in the fever of wishing to see positive change in this world by his own hand, things might have been entirely different, but as it was, he was now a viscount in London rather than a lieutenant in the West Indies.

Hearing her question, he nodded, paused.  He had never told another living soul about his late wife but Matilda, Matilda his old, dear friend...he licked his lips.  “I am well,” he assured her, quickly, to ensure she wouldn’t worry.  He touched her hand.  “Do you remember, when we were children, we used to tell each other those silly secret children keep?”  He swallowed.  “May I ask...how do you feel about secrets, now?”  In any case, he didn’t think it particularly mattered, now, if people knew, but nonetheless, he was not especially eager to have his widowhood widely discussed - he preferred to keep his grief, though no longer recent, a private matter.

He laughed his good natured laugh and quirked a brow.  “Then you may see me a great deal oftener than you’d hoped,” he joked, but shook his head.  “No, it is not so very exhausting,” he ensured.  “At least, not much more so than my lieutenancy, when one factors in all the travel required of a sailor.  I think it is merely a matter of settling into a different sort of work.”

Percy’s expressions altered instantly to one of jubilant happiness.  “Why, that is sweet news, indeed!  Please tell me that this gentleman, whomever he may be, is somehow deserving of you.  I confess, I cannot conceive of such a being, but if he has secured your goodwill and happiness than he, though a stranger, is very dear to my own heart.  Oh, Matilda, I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am!  Instead, allow me to convey to you the best and sweetest of wishes upon your forthcoming marriage.”  Grinning widely, he squeezed her hand.  “As though I could now leave without hearing all you wish to share!” he exclaimed, expression softening.  “After all, for you, my darling friend, I have all the time in the world.”

[percytemple]

charlesreidmp

The atmosphere in Almack’s was almost frenetic following the debate, even more so than usual. Tensions were rising high in the provinces, with money being funnelled into the war effort in America, and the cost of grain rising. The lack of consideration that Lord North’s government seemingly had for its people infuriated Charles like nothing else could. He had spent time amongst the people - was one of them - and saw what kind of dissent an empty stomach could inspire. Combined with the lack of representation parts of the country felt compared to others, Charles couldn’t help but feel as if Westminster was not exactly for the people. It was something he wished to change, or attempt to at least, but it was not a task that only one man out of hundreds could make. He needed support. And whilst there were those of the Whig persuasion who would happily support his efforts, there were others that he been proving to be more difficult.

A secluded corner was what Charles needed at that moment, along with a snifter of brandy. He idly pushed the glass around the mahogany tabletop, lost in thought. Head snapping up at the sound of the voice, he offered Percy a smile. “Of course. Please, be my guest.” He gestured to the chair with a hand, leaning back in his own. “I thank you for your kind words, Lord Palmerston.” Was that the correct form of address? Charles still struggled with how to address those with titles, although it was perhaps in part due to his reluctance to conform. “You do? Well, I’m glad to hear it. Yes, we certainly do need as many allies as we can muster, especially until we’re in power once more.” It was a curious offer, certainly. “And would you suggest we help each other…. my lord?”

Percy smiled at Charles’ invitation and sank into the seat with alacrity.  Quickly, he turned to the waiter, ordering something to drink for himself, before returning his attention the the young man before him.  “Kind they may have been,” replied Percy, earnestly.  “But well earned and truly meant.  I believe that, if we who are likeminded in these matters band together, we can bring to our Island the changes she so needs.  After all, the Prince is with us, is he not?  And it is he who, by necessity, is the future.”

Of course, the crown had skipped Princes of Wales before, and Princes changed their minds - particularly a prince who seemed inclined towards the Whig party at least as much to irritate his father as for any other reason - but Percy was optimistic that this could still be seen as a positive for them all.  In case case, their king was not immortal, but England was, and thus her needs, Percy believed, must absolutely come ahead of any mortal’s.  Surely, he thought, the rest of the world could be brought to see that.

“I absolutely would,” replied Percy with a widening grin.  “I believe, with a little vision and a great deal of determination we can see the change our fair nation needs come to fruition, particularly when two sides of Parliament coincide.”  Percy meant, of course, the House of Commons, as represented by Charles, with the House of Lords, as perhaps someday represented by himself.  Percy was, of course, too lately ennobled to have gained a seat, but he felt that he could do so, if he worked at it, and then his would be one more voice to the positive amidst all the rest.  “Sir, perhaps, if I were to fete you at a gala, sometime, at my house or,” he made a gesture that amounted to a shrug.  “Something similar, it may help raise further support for your cause.  What do you think?”

[percytemple]

lcdyevelyn

This what not what she had wanted. Being pulled away form her home, and for what? Toendure her betrothed, someone she never cared to marry, and to endure the saccharine, anddelighted smiles on her brothers’ faces; the same brothers who had betrayed her so, by making her dance to their tunes, without even asking her if she liked the melody. It was unfair, and the unfairness of it made her all the more cynical, if not a little intolerable, so while she stood beside her eldest brother, her smile was not honest, despite appearing delighted. If she was forced to offer her beloved another sweet smile, she would wonder if her teeth would rot from the sugar which was forced upon them - while being melodramatic was not uncommon for Evelyn Harley, this was playing right to her hand. As if the skies have sympathised with her, a loud thunder surprised the guests, and when the deluge started, they started to run in all directions, like chickens with their heads cut off, all in search for a cover. The smile with graced her features was dark satisfaction, but there was no one to witness it, as she stood alone beneath the comforting branches of an old, colossal oak tree.

At the sound of her name, Evelyn turned around, the motion threatening her with a whiplash, at the hastiness. Percy? She was surprised to say the least, and it spoke volumes, given how she was seldom surprised by anything, anymore. “What are - “ she began to ask, but fell silent at the sight of him - both in admiration, and slight apprehension. He looked disturbed, in a very profound way, and it made her heart jump into her throat. When the string of words left his lips,physical surprise coursed through Evie’s veins, and the absolute shock of it paralysed her for a long, almost eternal, moment. I love you. The words rang though her head, bounding around her skull as if pixies were dancing around her head, making her feel a little dizzy - and quite excited, but she did not dare to hope. Her composed facade had started to crumble, and with every other word he said, she felt the marble of her mask turn into brittle clay.

Evelyn wondered if he would touch her, utterly forgetting her settings, and the people who were, undoubtedly, near. She listened, taken by the adoration which lingered in his eyes and, had he asked, she would have mounted her horse and bolted with him to the end of the world. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as he bent the knee, and that was it. The moment which held her entire future, dangling it in front of her eyes, like will o’the wisp drew the passengers to their demise - or their liberation. She was speechless for a moment, her eyes fixed straight on his, as she pondered the answer. It came as a surprise, yes, but in that very moment she has never been so certain about anything else in her life. Evie did not care that he had theunforgivable disadvantage of being a Whig, while her family was Tory ( as if she cared about such things ), and that her brothers would never approve, but it was not up to them. No, Percy asked her, not them.

And she will be the one to reply.

“Yes, I will.”

He could hardly believe his ears.  Percy had taken half for granted that she would reject him.  After all, he was an interloper and she had already agreed to marry Henry.  Surely, his love was one sided and she did not, could not return his affections.  He stared at her in astonished incredulity, a grin appearing upon his lips slowly as her words took shape and form and, finally, precious meaning within his mind.  “God, can it be?” he murmured.  “Can it be that you love me, too?”

He was all aghast and half in a daze, as though awakening from a long dream through which he’d muddled to this very spot.  “Do you mean it?” he asked eagerly, unable to stop smiling.  “Do you mean it, truly?”  She had had an offer from an Earl who would someday be a Duke, one of the most powerful men in the realm, yet, could it be, she was accepting a mere viscount in his stead?  He could hardly believe it, yet he’d heard her words for himself and saw her smiling face as clear as the midday sun.  “I can scarce believe it.”

He moved closer, tilting his face towards her, drinking in her face, her oceanic eyes.  They swirled with stormy turbulence, those sweet orbs, cast upon his own with greater affection than he could imagine and he laughed, half-disbelieving.  She was a vision, half-unreal, a fairy of myth risen from nearby trees, it seemed, and he was blessed to behold her gaze upon him.  

Impulsively, he reached out, his fingertips brushing the satin skin of cheeks, eliciting a joyful, almost shocked laugh, to feel her skin on his.  Gently, gently, his fingers traveled, finding the nape of her neck as he bent to kiss her.  He paused, a breath away, found her eyes as if to ask permission, and saw her smiles there.  Her lips were soft as rose petals; her breath was as warm as the sun, and he smiled as he kissed her, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her close, and ever closer, as the veil of mist danced all around them.

[percytemple]

sxphiacavendish

She was quite used to being alone now. In the years past she’d grown comfortable with her own company, accepting of the fact that she could go days without talking to anyone but the serving staff. And so when she heard her siblings leave the townhouse that morning, she felt no inclination to come out and join them, or even to wave them off. It was selfish perhaps, but shut up in her apartment, she felt safe and content. Wrapped up in her blankets she could hear the outside world whilst knowing that no one could reach her. Yes her existence would be a solitary one, but it was one she accepted none the less. Which was why, when she heard the sound of the bell ringing downstairs she was slightly disgruntled. Surely her family would have told her of any visitors, or indeed would have told the visitors that they would not find who they were looking for. No one was looking for Sophia. Frankly in social circles people were still coming to terms with the fact that she was even back, let alone making house calls.

The knock on her door came just minutes later as she heard the sounds of Charles and Louisa outside before Louisa herself poked her head around the door. A young serving girl, she had all the innocence and naivety but none of the sweetness that came with it. She was a brash girl, and more than a little short with her words, and so when she saw the girls face appear at her door a slight sneer crossed her features without her even realising. “A guest for you M’aam” was the words that came from the door, though Sophia turned away resting her head back on the pillow. “Tell them to go away, I am not in the mood to see visitors” she told the girl softly, hands tugging up the blankets to built a protective layer around her. The servant girl nodded and began to draw away, and would have left the room had Sophia not suddenly had a change of heart. Or at the very least, her interest was piqued. She was sure, from the low mumbles she had heard downstairs that the visitor was male – no doubt a friend of Wills or Richie’s. “Wait” she sat up again. “Who is the visitor?”

“Lord Temple M’aam”

Lord Temple? Surely not… “Tell him I will be down in a moment”. She had no time to dress fully, and in her haste to see if it truly was the man she thought it was, she reached for her housecoat without a moments glance, tying it around her waist as she stood from the bedroom. She attempted, in vain to get some colour back into her face, slapping at her cheeks lightly. It had been years since she had seen Percy and those years had not been kind. She was thinner than she had been then, more gaunt around the face, and she applied a little more force, running a hairbrush through the long, flame touched strands of hair. An extra few seconds to try and summon the courage, and she was reaching the staircase, descending it and pushing the door open. How much he would have changed – or perhaps he would have been exactly the same. And she didn’t know which option scared her more.

“Lord Temple…I am sorry to keep you waiting – I did not know we were expecting visitors”

Percy (who had been peering out the nearby window,) turned quickly to face the young woman, a smile touching his face as he spotted her emerging from the bowels of the house.  He hardly took any note of the changes, at first, his eyes finding her familiar blue hues as she slowly approached.  Closing the gap between them, Percy eagerly took her hands, ready to embrace her (the properest of manners had never been his strong suit), when he did note the difference.  

Soothingly, he ran his thumb along her fingers, and bowed his head.  He knew grief well enough, had run and run and run from it, and when he glanced back up into her face, he saw it written there, too, sculpted into the space around her eyes, written in hollows her cheeks.  “I-” Percy licked his lips.  “I cannot tell you how truly sorry I was to hear of your loss.  I know there is naught that can be done to rectify such harm, but if I may ever be of any assistance to you, I pray you will not hesitate to call upon me.”  He smiled sweetly, searching her eyes.  “We are old friends, you and I, are we not?”

At the sound of her voice, he chuckled, bit his lip.  “I daresay you were not,” he replied with a guilty shrug.  “I came unannounced.  Please forgive me if I’m intruding - I ought to have been more considerate.”  He sighed, slowly.  The years, he knew, ought to have made him more wise, but wisdom, alas, had failed him and, apparently, not even ennoblement had curbed his impulsivity.  “I simply thought that I should very much like to see you all and so...I came on a whim.”  He laughed.  “No doubt, that much shall not surprise you.”

Percy quirked a brow as they moved to sit.  “I have some news that, I think, shall surprise you, however.  But, first, you must tell me when you arrived.  I did not even know you were here in London until the servant made mention of it to me.”  He smile blossomed into a grin.  “How very glad I am of it!  Now, what do you make of London?  I find it at once much and little changed.  Are these your impressions, also?”

[percytemple]

@lcdyevelyn

The sky was slate, turbulent clouds lit from within by chasms of lightning.  The sky cracked open and thunder rumbled in the heavens, its reverberations searing through Percy as he rode.  He was heedless to the weather, heedless to the wind, the rain, the thunder.  Evelyn Harley, he had learned, was to be wed within the twelvemonth and he could not stand for it.  In truth, he’d known her but a sum total of nineteen days, but for all that, he had no doubts he wished to know her all the other days of his life...and he was on the verge of losing her, perhaps forever.

The lightning died away, but the other elements remained as Percy hurtled through the rain, racing towards the place he knew he would find her.  The instant he’d heard the report of her visit with her family and fiancé, Percy darted towards St. James’s Park.  The rain lessened in intensity, a thin veil of mist climbing up amongst the trees.  Arriving, Percy vaulted from his horse, dashing towards the spot where he glimpsed the glint of silver-gold hair.

No doubt separated from her companions during their mad haste for cover, he found Evelyn alone beneath the sheltering arms of a great tree.  “Evelyn,” he greeted breathlessly, forgetting all semblance of propriety.  “Evie.”  A hopeful smile bloomed, faded, and he came, breathless, to her side.

“Please understand I know, already, my suit to be hopeless, but I have not the strength to see you gone away, wordless.”  He paused, glanced down, realizing he must be making no sense to her, whatsoever.  “I love you,” he blurted out.  “I think I have done since practically the first moment I saw you and, and...I ought to have told you that first day.  I ought to have told you every day, since.  More the fool I, I have tried to let you go with grace, but I find I cannot.  I have nothing to offer you that you do not already have, and still less to offer you than that which you have already accepted at another hand, but I pray you will do me the kindness and the very great honor, at least, of hearing me.”

Percy came closer, gazing towards her.  In his eyes were the seas of adoration, storming more ferociously than that hazard which had just departed the park as he took a step closer.  “Know this, Evie: to me, you are the dearest, most precious of God’s creations, ever to be cherished by those whose good fortune bring them within your circle.  You are the sun, which high in its sphere radiates joy and kindness and every sweet thing most to be treasured.  Without you, I fear, the world would go cold and grey, like a...a husk of some forgotten glory.”  His smile was a brilliant thing, robed in radiance and he reached out, gently, stretching his hand out towards her face, but stopped, dropped it away again, conscious that she was not his, for all that he might wish it.  “I know how sudden this all is, what a stroke of pure madness it must seem, but I think of you day and night.  I wish to hear your opinion on everything and to be with you all the time.  When I have good news, I wish to share my joy with you and, when bad, to seek your solace.”  He shrugged, words seeming to fail him.  “I wish to share my life with you.”

He shook his head, as though to clear it of murky confusion.  “Allow me to clarify.”  Percy bent to one knee, gazing up at her.  “Evie, say you will do me the noblest kindness; say you will spend your life at the side of one who adores you for all that you are.  I offer you my home, my lands, my name, my hand.  Say you will be my wife.”

[percytemple]

violagdwin

Soft, airy notes of the string of a harp danced into the air of the small music room Lord Althorp had created for his daughter. Echoing between the walls and returning to her ears where she could already hear the symphony behind it. Some would say that it was too nice a day to spend it indoors, but as Viola was more of a morning person when she had the chance to follow her nature she had already been busy the whole morning. Her horse was resting in the stables from their early morning right at dawn, and freshly clipped roses from the garden were placed upon a sidetable in the room. The afternoon was meant for her and her music alone, before she had to hurry off to the next soiree.

As a knock on the door disturbed her, she could not hold back a slightly agitated look when the entering servant became victim off. They were aware of how she disliked to be disturbed. The announcement of a lord only made her eyes roll further in the back of her head until the last part was announced. Her eyes suddenly twinkled, as she moved to the edge of her seat. About to jump up and race out of the room. “Palmerston? You are certain of this.” The servant was only halfway in nodding in agreement, when the young lady Althorp already rushed past her like the wind.

In the back of her head she could hear her mother’s correcting voice telling her not to move so unladylike. To lift her skirts and not to hurry, for it was far from gracious and proper. But so was her greeting, on which she decided the very moment she saw her dear old friend seated in the parlor. He leaped up to greet her and without hesitance she ran straight into his arms. “How dare you be so rude not to announce yourself before you come to the estate?! I would have made sure to stock on the finest wine, and a fanfare perhaps to accompany your grand entrance. Now you’ll have to do with only my silly, old presence.” she exclaimed, a bright shining smile across her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck to support herself. “Percy Temple, in the flesh. I simply can not believe my eyes”

Percy laughed as he received her embrace, grinning broadly.  “Then my coming is not a welcome surprise?” he teased as they parted.  “I confess, I had hoped you’d act more shocked to receive me and not my grandfather.  I suppose, then, you have heard the news and you knew I was in town?  Or are you simply so unflappable?” he added, eyes sparkling with mischief.  “Or were you a much closer friend to my late grandfather than anyone might have guessed?”  He paused.  “In which case your disappointment in seeing me is quite understandable and, sadly, I must report to you some most dolorous news.”

He laughed.  “Next time, I shall certainly be expecting such a grand salute to my appearance,” he joked.  “Or, in its absence, I shall consider myself to have been snubbed.”  His smile softened into contentment.  “Have no fear,” he replied.  “Your presence is the jewel I sought in coming here.  I greatly prefer it to all the rest, I assure you.  After all, I might be named viscount now, but I remain the foolish sailor you remember from Italy.”

He paused, as both found their seats.  “Now I must ask something of you.  You must tell me everything that has happened to you since we parted ways in Italy.  And, for that matter, what of your voice?  Have you found an outlet for its beauty here in London, or do your Ton connections keep you away from the stage?”

[percytemple]

@sxphiacavendish

Morning blushed in rosy hues, the clouds’ underbellies gilt by the dawning rays as Percy’s feet his the pavement.  Dawn’s last fingers stretched across the sky, it’s brilliant corona retreating behind the misty veil of its fluffy attendants as the grip of day took hold.  Percy was cheerful, this morning, purposeful.  He’d arrived the night before last, had spent yesterday attending to the regrettable necessities of his new station, and now today, he was striking out to greet his friends.  He began the day with a pleasant walk through the park and then began calling, when it no longer seemed too early to do so.

One of the most lavish houses he came to was the town residence of the Duke of Devonshire.  Percy smiled softly as he came inside, almost wistfully.  The last time he’d passed through these doors, it had been as a boy, following along behind his mother.  Now, he was someone else, entirely.  Turning to the butler, he inquired if the Duke were at home.

“I’m very sorry, my lord,” the butler said.  “Everyone is away from home, save the Lady Sophia.”

Astonishment crept into Percy’s throat.  “Lady Sophia is here?”  He paused, cleared his throat.  “Is she...receiving guests?”

“I shall inform my lady that you are here.”

Percy inclined his head.  “Thank you.”

Left alone in the room, Percy glanced around himself.  His surroundings were lavish, as one may well expect, and but somehow he’d expected them to be quite as he’d once known them.  Every little change seemed to glare at him in perplexity at his arrival.  Percy’s lips quirked into the ghost of a smile.  It had been far too long.

[percytemple]

cavcndish

            THE THRUM OF THE STREET SUBSIDED IN THEIR TRAIL. This area of London, round Mayfair and nearing Osterley Park, was at the crux of two worlds; the new one and the old, with the well-heeled trotting the fine line between. Three-storied houses cast their shadows on the cobblestones, their own windows obscured by enormous trees. Gnarled oaks and placid, trimmed myrtles, elms and fruit trees already in bloom, hid back the cream of nobility and merchandisers. Though you had your lot to sell, before it was possible to take up residence in this place. As London grew and grew, expanding with the obstinacy of a natural creature, good lodgings were no longer a matter of affording - they were inherited, much like peerage and rare thoroughbreds.

           Or so the people said. Richie’s friends had their city houses ( it did seem rather unthinkable not to, just as it was unthinkable not to have the country seat of your ancestors )and Richie himself lived with his brother, either at Kensington, either at St. James. Occupancy  shifted as positions did; a mercurial hierarchy. No one was very uprooted or upset by this rule - the court had to keep moving, and men had to fall. But he had befriended, and even gladly followed, young minds who would find it ludicrous to have a place with your name on it. The mere idea amused and unsettled them. This, too, put him between worlds.

           His attention returned to the older man with a snap. Richard chuckled at the words, from somewhere deep and sincere in his throat, and answered on a lilt: « Yet it is a small price to pay, is it not, for all the other ways you have seen? » He acknowledged the compliment a second later, a courteous incline of his head. The real scope of the conversation lay elsewhere; what was his wit if not a thing of paper flowers, crumpled with each company and then smoothed over again? He yearned to be great, not grandiose —— such minute difference, and there the entire significance laid. « I, for one, dear Temple, would give anything to travel that far. To see life… unfettered. » Richard’s sight glazed over. Even while they walked the neat borders of the pavement, his eyes mottled with clouds, as though he looked not at this world, but through it, towards one he longed for.

“The very smallest,” agreed Percy, warmly.  “I would not trade my travels for anything in this world.  There is nothing sweeter than that, truly: leaving your footprints along foreign shores, touching fresh scenes, new people...I can well see why the Grand Tour is so in vogue.  My adventures were, perhaps, a touch more...unrefined,” he confessed with a laugh.  “Than those advertised by better men, but more my own, for all that.  I tell you, Richie, there’s not a thing like leaving behind the ship to face new territories.  I don’t think I’d truly appreciated the complex diversity of simple things like landscape, like, like...smells...”  

Realizing he was going on a bit, Percy smirked, bemused at himself, and glanced towards his companion.  “What of you, Richie?  Have you traveled, since last we met?  I expected there are a great many sights, here in England, sadly neglected by those of us who try their hand at adventuring.”

Clapping him on the shoulder as he walked, Percy nodded, his speech rapid with enthusiasm.  “Then you must!  It is the most...glorious...You know, I-” he paused, on the verge of making a small confession, a whisper of an unspoken past, but paused.  He knew how bitterly his father would rue it, should word of Percy’s scandalous elopement to a penniless Frenchwoman ever get out - even now that she was deceased.  

Percy licked his lips, glancing ahead again.  “I met people, while I was there, who helped me to understand, I think, the scope of what life is or, perhaps more accurately, what it can be.  Before that, I-I frittered my time away but now, now I see what kind of difference can be made in this world.”  He paused, glanced at his hands, and away again.  “I don’t think I ever truly lived till I went away.”