It had not been Edwin's intent to return to London this season, frankly he'd be happy if he never had to return. But his father had decided now was the time. The only positive he'd had was he had at least managed to convince him not to make a fuss about it. A quiet return, or as quiet as possible anyway.
The first ball being a masquerade made it even more useful. With no one even knowing his family was back in London, it meant that he could at least attend tonight completely anonymously. The rest of the season he was going to be seen, the heir to a Dukedom, worse the unmarried heir to a dukedom. This was never what he wanted.
The pirate costume had been an easy choice. Least dressed as a pirate it meant that he could pretend the cane was part of it, and not because of his leg injury. A constant reminder.
Now was not the time to live in the past though, instead to admire the beauty of this place. The hostess had definitely done her best to make this a night to remember. What would happen the next morning when all this was gone, the question no one would really talk about. Not the done thing.
Pausing for a moment in a slightly obstructed nook, it at least gave him a chance to look around properly. How London never changed. Even after two years, it was all just... the same. How could the world be so different and yet never changing. As was always the way when he heard footsteps. "Ah I see you have found my hiding spot" he said with a smile, anything else he was feeling he could hide, he had become good at that after all. "It is a beautiful night, though it does not give much time to breathe".