Katerina inhales slowly as D’mitri speaks, as though every one of his words is doing their best to fill her lungs. She feels as though her chest might burst as he goes on about things like marriage, and how he can recognize that she’s good for him, and just, just—Oh! This day, it’s just going so well. I can’t even… Finish her thoughts, at this point. She’s biting her lip by the time she finishes, doing her best to contain her excitement, her happiness. All the bright joy that’s suddenly inside of her, not just rolling but ricocheting around. Goodness, it’s all almost too much for her. She wants to put her hands on either side of his head strong face and kiss him. Her long fingers are beginning to uncurl to do just that when D’mitri addresses Ivan, and Katerina realizes she’s forgotten he’s there.
She turns to him, her hands dropping out of the air, wondering why he was still about. She had wanted time with all three of them yes, to renew her confidence and her strive, and well. Okay, she has it. Oh why did she convince herself of it again? Yes, yes, Ivan, Striking Ivan—oh and he is, too—has been so wonderful and great, and, and… and. The men continue talking about more… well. About more things that ladies don’t listen much in on, and Katerina feels her brow draw together in thought. My, Ivan is wonderful. Isn’t he. I'd just put Ivan through all of this so I could avoid the subject. Isn’t that what her D’mitri had just said? Put him through all of what, exactly? He arrived at her door, told her of D’mitri’s strange coyness and then stayed with her. Such a thing takes no effort, no force. No vast amounts of will power were required for such a thing. And of course Ivan hasn’t been putting on any airs, faking his knowledge, his opinions. No not at all. He’s been upstanding and honest, and really. Well. Really anything a lady of her social standing should want.
“Love certainly is more elusive. Isn’t it.” She can’t help making it a statement, as she keeps her eyes on the tray of cookies, taking a longer sip. Ivan hasn’t giving her any indication that he was out to woo her. Her eyes flick up to D’mitri. And her D’mitri, is, well. Bless him and his moral ground, and his dignity, and his big, caring heart but. It’s all of those things that makes her think something else is a’foot. He’d never do such things, especially when he comes here himself to speak of marriage and love. Something… something is off about all of this.
No, no!! Katerina sets her cup down a little hard. No, no, why is she even entertaining such things? Such things are stupid. Ivan is not stupid. No, no, her Ivan is leaps and bounds ahead of nearly everyone she’s ever met. Katerina herself isn’t stupid, why, she received some of the best marks in her French class! My D’mitri, though… No, he’s smart enough, surely he is. He must be. He’s smart enough to be here, right now, sitting next to her, taking her hand, kissing her mouth, speaking of love and eating her cookies. Why is she thinking these things again?
“However elusive,” she begins, taking D’mitri’s hand again, mustering all the satisfaction she can into her eyes. “It can be caught.”