wildest dreams.

Emmeline knew it was a man, from his response she gathered he was a man of honor. Nothing worth worrying about. "Surely, my mother would have my head if she knew that I was hiding." What a choice of words for her, to say that. With a sigh and fast blinks while staring at the wall, she shook her head. "Do not bother her. She is surely catching up with her old friends of the Ton after being gone so long."

laurie hesitates, torn between respecting her wishes, as he might if she were an older lady, one that he felt could manage more on her own, but emmeline appeared to be quite young, and he couldn't quite trust that. "i really do think i ought to escort you back inside at least, miss," he offers, haltingly. "perhaps not your mother, but a friend of your family's?"

– "WELL, I WOULDN'T NEED TO LECTURE if you didn't come home with your skirts a mess, " though amelia can't help but laugh. in spite of all this, the ridiculousness, grace is the person in the world who most makes her feels like she belongs. it's easy to slip into back and forth like this, to say exactly what she thinks without worrying grace will ever abandon her – well. most things. even sisters have their secrets. " just promise me you won't look like this when you meet the queen, " amelia says with a resigned sigh. eyes light up at the sight of the ribbon, smiling broadly. even if she's coming home to a lecture, her sister will always think of her. " it's perfect ! and you knew, " amelia smiles, " that it matches my dress for the ball. " there's a prolonged pause as she examines the ribbon, holds it up to her face in the mirror before she cuts her eyes back to her sister. " you didn't go into town alone, did you ? "

"but the fresh air is so lovely and the gardens were so green already, you should've seen them." her protests are full of giggles at her sisters laughter, grasping her hand with a pleased smile that showed no remorse in her actions. sure, she'd have made it more challenging to wash later, but even the threat of amelia's disappointment couldn't keep her from taking a longer way home, a dustier path, just for the sake of seeing something interesting. "i wouldn't dream of such a thing. i will be a perfect lady, so as not to embarrass you," her eyes roll when she says lady, though, knowing good and well that she's not diamond material like her sister was. there was a small lack of common sense in grace that made for interesting stories, but created a lack of propriety in her that would make having the queen's approval something quite difficult. "of course, that's exactly why i chose it above all the others." her wide grin snaps into a more innocent expression, her eyes widening at the question. "of course not. i wouldn't dream of it."

– "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS ASSUME THE FIRST THING I DO is lecture ? " her tone is playfully exasperated, looking up from her book to take in her sister's demeanor. it is a little frustrating – amelia doing all she can to foist grace up as a potential diamond for the season when she wanders about town with mud-splattered hems. " that said, this had better be a fabulous bribe, " she remarks, a little sigh escaping her lips before she cannot resist adding : " i almost think you do this on purpose to vex me. "

"perhaps because the first thing you do is lecture," she returns, her smile broadening with the playful back and forth she feels so much comfort in from her. it is not unusual for them to be at odds, when it does not matter, mostly due to her annoying little sister tendencies. "that's probably because i almost do it on purpose to vex you." she tugs the ribbons she had bought with her limited pocket money out of her sleeves, brandishing them with a flourish. "a gift."

"Are you trying to avoid the crowd as well?"

laurie's never been one much for these events, other than the socializing with his friends — that, however, he was able to do on any given night in ton. there's no reliance on the stuffy, protocol-heavy events in the card room. the gardens are a brief reprieve, though he soon recognizes he's not alone, dropping into a slight, respectful bow. "something akin to that, miss, yes." he does not fully recognize the girl, only that she is about as young as his sister, if not more so. "should i find your chaperone?"

Cabell has made his way to the bookstore after hearing his younger sister's offhand request for more poetry books around the house. He finds himself a little stumped, however, when he realizes he's forgotten to ask her the names of any authors or titles he could recognize as he scans the shelves. "Excuse me, might you have any insight on what an inquiring young mind would most gravitate towards?" he asks the nearest patron, keeping his voice polite and quiet. He is very much an enjoyer of fine arts, but that is unfortunately limited to simply enjoying and not yet retaining information on names of great works or which authors are worth their salt.

the young man looks about as out of place as a lost gosling, and john is, frankly, a little amused, waiting to see exactly how long it takes for him to ask for help. "perhaps something less dull?" he inquires, tilting head inquisitively at the section that cabell is looking at now, smiling blandly as he gestures to another shelf. "if it is poetry you seek, i would be remiss to mention lord byron, or miss mary russell ritford instead. thomas campbell has an enchanting piece on the americas as well, should you be interested."

@cabellrosa

@barouche

@noblefavor