A Slice of Lemon Cake

[Paradox]

At Ewan's response, Braxton couldn't help himself. Laughter practically exploded from his lips. It was loud, deep-bellied and rich. He clutched his aching stomach and leaned forward as though he'd just run a marathon at top speed and was pausing to catch his breath.

Cherie's comment didn't help him to compose himself either; he laughed some more, and this time,  even harder. "Good one!"  He found his composure quickly though and straightened up, grinning, " Bah! She'd take it as a compliment!" Well, really, she would!  Because she was Janette!

Braxton looked over his shoulder at his little sister whose attention was now on dessert, "Focus, Cherie!" But, even as he said this he helped himself to relieving a plate of a slice of apple pie from a passing servant carrying a tray over to a table.

"Heh. I haven't had anything to eat all night. Don't mind me." Braxton explained and then, without any shame whatsoever, he picked the pie up with his bear hand and proceeded to cram it into his mouth, devouring it almost whole like a starved bear.

(( Short post , but there's more for Vinny to reply to at the moment than yours truly! Also, I am so so sorry, Ewan. lol . Treyburns. That's all I got to say. ))

[Vincent]

This man wasn't very polite, Ewan thought with a slight frown. However, being the kind soul that he was , Ewan assumed that Braxton forgot his manners because he was so preoccupied with his search for a missing person. Ewan understood the feeling and sympathized. A lack of propriety was , for the moment, easily pardoned. He was about to tell the man where he'd seen the tall snake individual when the two Treyburns started laughing.

Cherie's comment  made Ewan's cheeks burn furiously. Unfortunately, the silly grey shark's mask only covered the upper portion of his face and did not hide much. Oh dear! He certainly had not intended to refer to a lady in such a vile manner! Even though (and much to his surprise) the two strangers found this amusing, he still could not help but feel utterly mortified by the thoughtlessness of his response, " Oh! Th-That's not what I meant!"

He nodded when Cherie instructed him that he couldn't tell the snake woman what she had said and when he did so, the fin atop his head wobbled and dropped like a puppy's ear. "I would never dare repeat such a thing. " It certainly was true. Ewan never really had an unkind word to say about anyone even if some people were not very nice and tested his patience and faith many times.

Now Cherie asked him the same question her brother had earlier and he tried not to show his disapproval when Braxton stole a pie and ate it with hands. Inwardly, poor Ewan was feeling a tad bit mortified by these people's manners or the lack thereof. Before he could answer, she cut him off again and asked him if the snake had slithered- no, gone to the table , "Well, she was seated over near the table, but then she got up when a man dressed as a...a... I think it was a Connlaothian tracker approached her and then they were talking. It seemed fairly heated and then I think she stormed off to the terrace. He followed after her. " He turned left and pointed , " I saw them go that way. "   

Ooc: I think it might be best to presume that who Ewan saw was someone else.

[Ivory]

It was difficult for even someone as easily distracted as Cherie to miss the color creep into the face of the gentleman before them.  He turned as red as the cherry Cherie had been eyeing a moment ago.  Her expression, although still a smile, turned more sympathetic, and she lightly reached out to pat the young man's shoulder.

"Please don't think we're laughing at your expense!  You would have to know our sister, and, well..."  She laughed quietly again as she slipped her arm, quite naturally, through his.  "She's certainly one of a kind.  Brax is probably right, though.  She really would consider it a compliment.  She adores snakes.  The creepier the better."  As she spoke, she was guiding the poor young man away in the direction of the terrace without leaving him much choice in the matter; it was either escort her or interrupt her.  "And she loathes society.  Not that any of us really blame her?  Do we, Brax?"  She cast a look over her shoulder towards the bear. 

Watching him gobble down a dessert whole, she added quietly -- although certainly loud enough for him to hear, "And he eats like a bear, too.  I think we all came as ourselves tonight.  But you don't seem to be much of a shark..."

Her stomach gave a small gurgle of protest, then, as she thought about food.  She hadn't even eaten lunch -- her stomach had been doing flip-flops at the thought of the upcoming ball, and her mother's constant presence hovering and barking orders had done little to help...

But, Brax was right -- priorities!  Especially if Janette was starting arguments...

"Thank you, by the way."

-----

Exiting to Vanilla Pecan Candies

[Paradox]

Braxton heard his sister's comment about his eating habits and he snorted, retorting through a mouthful of food, "Hey, a man's gotta eat, am I right?" He looked at Ewan but didn't wait for  the poor, flustered young man to reply before he shoveled more pie into his mouth.

Brax finished gobbling down the pie and set the plate down on a nearby table. He wiped his mouth on the back of his furry hand and then grinned as the trio walked over to the veranda. It didn't seem to bother Braxton at all that his sister was sort of just guiding poor Ewan away without even bothering to ask him if he wanted to come. Even if someone had pointed that out to him, he probably wouldn't have seen the problem. It wasn't as though the man was protesting.

He grinned and teased the young nobleman whose name he still hadn't had the decency to ask for  , "So, what do you think ,young man? Doesn't she sound like a dream come true?  How'd you like to court our sister? We'll pay you take her off our hands. Maybe the whole damned inheritance."


((Exit to : Vanilla Pecan Candies))

[Vincent]

Cherie's reassurance through gesture and polite words alleviated a small portion of Ewan's embarrassment. However, when she confessed that her sister was peculiar and went on to say that she'd be take being called a snake a compliment, he looked even more baffled. Who in their right mind would like being called a snake let alone adore them? "Indeed?" Yes, this Janette did sound unique; And a tad bit disturbing, mentally speaking.

Ewan was accustomed to his mother taking him by the arm and leading him around and he'd never been told what to do when a strange lady did the same thing. And he was quite at a loss. Was it not the gentleman who offered his arm and the lady took it? Now this was feeling quite backwards , wasn't it? Except for the fact that she hadn't precisely offered him an option. She sort of just took his arm as though they were related and pulled him along. What to do? He could have refused and made a bit of a scene about it , but he wasn't all that offended. Besides, these people were distracting him from thinking of Logan and that was something he needed right now.

Still, he felt so terribly awkward. However, he was quite impressed that Cherie guessed his costume, "Very good, miss. You're the first person this evening who has managed to guess what I am, "he frowned, " Everyone keeps calling me a fish out of water and then they laugh hysterically." He wasn't quite sure if they were laughing at him or at their own banal wit. More than likely, it was both. "My mother made this, you know. She insisted that it would make me look fierce, but I think I've made more people laugh this evening than anything. I don't imagine that I'm very shark-like. Sharks are rather violent ...and they eat people sometimes. I don't eat people." He blushed at his final statement and hid face with a hand , "Oh Ansgar, how silly of me. Of course I don't. "

Braxton's teasing made Ewan feel very uncomfortable and he wasn't sure whether the man was joking or not, but what a horrible thing to suggest! Ignoring the fact that Janette sounded more like being a lady that would appear in his nightmares rather than in his dreams , he found Braxton's suggestion more than a little offensive." Wha-what!? Pardon me, but that's- that's not..." He was so flustered that he couldn't finish the sentence!

However, when Cherie, "You're welcome. 'Tis my pleasure to be of assistance."   

ooc: Exiting to Vanilla Pecan Candies.

[kleineklementine]

Entrance from the ball room.

Avery led the red-haired woman on his arm into one of the smaller drawing rooms where some privacy might be assured, but left the door open to avoid any suspicion or scandal. Once they were inside, his bright and cheery demeanor dimmed a bit, and he looked at Winnifred with some concern.

"Are you alright, my lady? Forgive me for being presumptuous, but it seemed as though you were bothered by more than a torn dress, and if I can be of any help to you..."

((OOC: Super short post is super short!))

[visualspice]

Winifred was more than thankful for Lord Carwick's intrusion to 'rescue' her from her fiance, if at least for a little bit. But the moment they were alone, she was about ready to rip the damn train off. Her fists, now tightly gripped into balls upon the fabric, were carefully placed around the already ripped section when his words caught her ears and she blinked and narrowed a gaze at him, seeming to glare (for she was).
"What?"

She didn't think he'd have the gall to just directly ask her such a thing. How rude of him to be so presumptuous! Though if she were to remember things straight, she could have seen some of the tell tale signs herself.

"And yes, that's presumptuous indeed!" And she gave the man the cold shoulder, turning away from him as she returned her attentions back to her lacy train, but after contemplating the actual tearing of the clothe, she paused a moment to turn back towards him, her expression still mean. "But really, I know it would seem rude of me not to appreciate your help, which do not get me wrong, I am extremely elated for, but do not think for a moment you can assume a woman would just..." and here, she looked him over while wrinkling her nose and stated, chin to the air, "Need any more help from you. But thank you,a nd perhaps goodbye. I don't think I'll be staying at this ball much longer." And she turned away from him again and prepared to tear the train again, whe her boot heel got caught on it, and she gasped after hearing another rip before the haughty costumed angel nearly tumbled to the floor.

[kleineklementine]

Avery was, it had to be said, a little surprised when the lady's demeanor swung back to what could only be called 'hostile' once they were alone again. Perhaps it shouldn't have, given the way she'd started out. Inwardly, he sighed. What a ball this was turning out to be. And he didn't even have a drink anymore. Hopefully, he thought flatly to himself, Bryony was having a better time of it than he was...

"I'm sorry for causing offense if I have done by being too forward, my lady," Avery responded calmly to her outburst. "But you'll have to forgive me if I don't apologize for offering help where it may be needed. But if it is not," he made a conciliatory bow of his head, "of course I won't keep you. Though I would be happy to help with your dress, if you still need it..." He'd began to say this with a bit of a smile, but off Winnifred went - rip!

Doing the only thing he could do, Avery jumped forward to catch her mid-fall. He couldn't help but grin a little at her when he did. "You might want to choose your dresses more carefully in the future, my lady. If it isn't too presumptuous for me to say so." He tried to give her a friendly grin. After all, he was still a bit concerned about her earlier behavior - even if it was none of his business - and he thought maybe a bit of levity would help.

[visualspice]

Being caught by Avery brought a flush to her face, as her hands caught around him in a sort of ungraceful, or presumptuous form of dance between people who might have been more acquainted than the pair of them certainly were. And at his small grin, and even his response, she found herself gasping.

"Presumptuous, indeed!" But even she couldn't help herself and spared a small smile as she looked away, shaking her head of things and trying to save face by hiding it. Though her dimpled cheeks told another story.

"I'll keep that in mind next time. Though it has done me well, if only to relieve me but for a moment of my life when things are more or less unkind. Though I'm not sure it will matter if the lace is fixed. I   am a woman of my word, and as I stated, I do intend to leave this ball."
Yet there she was, still holding onto him awkwardly before she realized, oh how rude it might be, and she found her footing and daintily stepped away.

"Forgive this 'fallen angel',"s he said, with a rigid bow. "But I am just in no mood for parties any more, and you, unfortunate sir, just happened to be there when I fell. Though I suppose I ought to thank you again, but I'm afraid if I do, I might end up in a worse situation for it! After all, there is only so much of my dress I can rip before everything becomes unmendable."

[kleineklementine]

Avery mirrored her smile now that the woman had finally smiled! He let her step away, releasing her once she did. Her words troubled him but... what could he do? He wasn't acquainted with her and certainly not with her fiance (who he found himself disliking more and more by the moment, despite how little he might know him!). Avery had never bought the philosophy that if a bad thing was 'none of his business' then he had no responsibility to do anything about it, though, and he felt hesitant to leave her now.

"I have to say, I've received better compliments than being described as 'just happening to be there,'" he said, but it was a lame attempt of keeping her talking to him, and he knew it.

Thankfully, just then Bryony showed up in the doorway of the drawing room. "Oh, there you are!" she exclaimed happily when she saw Avery, "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

The girl, for she couldn't be more than eighteen, was petite with a mane of honey-colored hair and a bright spring green dress. She had a happy air of innocence and sweetness about her, and it was directed at Winnifred once she saw her. "Oh, hello!" she greeted brightly.

Avery returned his little sister's smile and nodded to Winnifred. "Lady Rosalina, can I introduce you to my sister, Bryony Carwick?"

Bryony bobbed a quick curtsy, beaming at Winnie. Then, seeing the torn dress, she looked earnestly at Winnifred. "Oh, your dress! I bet my clumsy brother did that! Can I help you mend it?"

[visualspice]

Winifred could not help but blush when Aver caught her smile, and just as she was to open her lips to make her apologetic 'goodbye' more official, a pretty young thing waltzed into the room, and Winifred found herself being introduced to Lady Bryony.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Winifred said, smiling and giving a quick, rigid curtsy back in reply, but when the woman was suddenly gaping at her torn dress, Winifred's gaze shot to Avery before looking towards his sister.
"I.. I couldn't possibly. I think the lace might be so far gone it's beyond repair."

[kleineklementine]

In other circumstances, Avery would have smiled a bit broader at Winifred's brief blush. If it weren't for the general sense of unease about her and his memory of the way she flinched at her fiances. But his smile did, genuinely, broaden at Bryony's typical antics, both sweet and a bit oblivious.

"Oh no, not at all!" Bryony insisted, looking only all too happy to help. "You should have seen the damage I did to my dress at our sister's wedding. It was so beautiful, but Cass, my other - and much more impish! - brother, he thought it'd be great fun to spin me properly around during the country dances and he picked me right up off my feet and my skirt caught a corner on the trellic and an entire panel came off! I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed!" Bryony blushed just from the memory. "I mean, I had a slip on, of course, but still! Well,, thankfully it was at our home, so I could go mend it inside, but I still didn't have a lot of time, obviously. And that came off okay - at least well enough for the rest of the reception. And now," she blushed again as she admitted the following, "I actually keep some thread and needle with me. Because what if happened somewhere else?"

Avery chuckled at Bryony's story, but his eyes stayed on Winifred. "You can't force your good intentions on everyone you meet, Bryony," he admonished warmly. "If Lady Rosalina is intent to leave, we can't politely keep her here." The look in his eyes, though, said clear enough that he was happy for Winifred to stay.

"But I can do it in just a moment!"

[visualspice]

Winifred blinked, a hand resting now to her chest.
"That is quite the story," and regarding her brother with a knowing gaze, she returned that gaze back to Bryony and smiled warmly. "Though I suppose it would be rude of me to refuse such help. I just feel foolish for accepting, considering I will be leaving the party here shortly."
Which, if Bryony would have taken notice, she'd realize Winifred was going to leave just only after the dancing had begun!

[kleineklementine]

"But you can't be leaving now!" Bryony protested. "The dancing's only just begun! You wouldn't want to suffer through all the stuffy talking and gossip to miss the dancing." She'd already fished the needle and emergency bit of thread from where she'd hid it under her bodice while she insisted on the folly of Winnie leaving the ball so soon!

"Here, see, it will only take a moment," Bryony declared, and she lifted the torn bits of lace into her hands, needle and thread balanced between her teeth as she bunched them together. "Probably easier if you sit down, though," she added between the needle.

Avery, thanks to his experience with three sisters, stood by and stayed out of it!

[visualspice]

Winifred, opening her lips to protest, simply sighed through a smile and nodded.
"Very well." And she took a cushioned seat upon a lounge, which was extra cushioned due to her bustle, but she had to be wary in the way she sat due to her wings, and as she fussed over them , a few loose white feathers fell onto the ground. Not htat she minded as she finally turned to Bryony with a nod.
"Alright then, let's be on with this, then."

[kleineklementine]

Bryony seemed totally oblivious to Winifred's unease as she worked quickly at the lace, muttering to herself about this or that as she worked. Within a few minutes, the task was done - or at least done well enough! Bryony beamed up at Winifred, clearly proud of herself (though she'd never say it)!

"There you go!" she declared brightly. "Now you don't have to leave before not even half the dancing is over!"

[visualspice]

Winifred blinked. Blushing awkwardly, she nodded. "Yes, I can see that." Unfortunately, that was not her plan as she tucked back some of her hair. "Thank you, Lady Bryony." And raising to stand, she peered over at Avery. "I suppose it's time to return to the ball room..." But there was hesitation there, as she knew Avery would understand as to why- but it seemed fate kept prodding her back towards her despicable fiance...
Perhaps she'd have to do more than just tear some lace to get out of this.

[kleineklementine]

Bryony lit up when Winifred said that she should get back to the dancing, certain that all the woman needed was to have her dress fixed in order to want to dance. And she'd done that! "Oh, good! I knew you'd want to get back to the ballroom once your dress was fixed!"

At first Bryony wanted to say they would join them, then she suddenly remembered something and she frowned. "Oh. I would say we should join you, Lady Rosalina, but," she looked back at Avery, a bit sheepish, "old Lady Bronswick was just begging to meet you, Avery, since you came in cousin Harlow's stead and... well... I couldn't really say no to her."

Avery's face was masked, but inwardly he frowned at Bryony's words, his eyes still on Winifred. He didn't mind networking, even when it was only because he was going to be a Duke... one day those contacts might be important. But he didn't want to leave Winifred. But he also didn't want to disappint Bryony. And he knew how seriously he took those things.

So, after a small sigh, Avery gave Winifred a half smile and stepped forward and took her hand, kissing it. "Well then, Lady Rosalina, it was lovely to make your acquaintance, but I'm afraid duty calls. I meant what I said, though: if you ever need anything, I hope you won't hesitate to ask me."

[visualspice]

Winifred found herself speechless, only blinking long after the kiss when her cheeks began to heat. Rigidly bowing her head, she turned her eyes to the ground before looking up into his.
"I shall keep that in mind. Have a good evening, Lord Carwick." And she gave a curtsy, and as she watched the pair exit- she paused a moment to reflect on the evening, before slipping out into the hall and making herself scarce. Her fiance might be pissed off, however, she couldn't bear to even look at him just then. So she called for her carriage, and left for the night.