cormac hier ; the chemist (chemist) wrote in emillion, |
So that was Audrey’s sister. He’d not introduced himself never feeling the need, but he was standing beside her now. He’d seen her before, following the giant lummox that was somehow related to Darius. The sisters appeared as different as night and day really. She was so poised and neat where Audrey. Well, Audrey was Audrey, even if she pretended to be Alys now. She did pretend it well, too. He supposed it was best for her considering she had a sibling to take care of now, but seeing this Basil. Everything was happening so quickly, but he supposed stranger things could happen. He wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about Lord Norwood, so he couldn’t make any real judgments. Then again, the young lady was next to him. Who better to ask? “Excuse me,” he said turning the girl. “Are you familiar with the groom to be?” Juliette was startled to be addressed so abruptly; turning towards the voice, she saw a man that she vaguely recognized. She knew who this was, but where had she… It came to her quickly, fortunately, her strong memory for faces saving her: she had seen him with Lady Miliona on several occasions recently -- so this must be her (slightly scandalous) betrothed, which also made him Ridley’s employer. She had never spoken with him, but had heard enough about him not to be entirely surprised by the direct approach. “I am getting to know him better,” she said, the most polite way of admitting that she didn’t know him well at all. “Please forgive me if my presumption is incorrect -- it is Mister Hier, isn’t it?” “That would be me,” he reassured her. “And you’re Au--lys’ sister Juliette, yes?” He took a sip of his drink thoughtfully before posing the question, “Or do I address you as milady or lady?” It wasn’t said maliciously or in contempt. It was genuine curiosity. Most of the nobles he rubbed elbows with were called by their titles in jest or just in general. He wasn’t familiar with this girl. “Would you say he was a good man?” He then added, “From what you have learned so far.” Cormac could say that he was just wondering if he’d have to come up with some sort of cause of death later that wouldn’t implicate Audrey or her friends. The truth was, if Audrey was marrying herself to trouble, he was just going to be annoyed. “Noble and married,” he muttered under his breath. He really hated change. “I am,” she agreed, then, politely: “Please call me whatever you prefer.” As long as he didn’t saddle her with a nickname, she felt no particular draw to be called by her title. Besides, he would be marrying Lady Miliona, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t gain her title in the match, but he would be an equal of sorts soon enough. It was a gray area. “He has never been unkind to me, or to my sister that I have seen,” she said. It was hard to speak ill of the groom, but hard to speak well of him either. She simply did not know him well enough. She almost ignored the mumbled words, but they had been said with such bewilderment. “Pardon?” “Juliette then,” he said smoothly. Remembering titles and things was one thing he’d probably have to learn in the future, if only to help Emily look good, but if she wasn’t going to insist on it, he wasn’t going to bother. “And you can call me Cormac. Everyone else does,” he said to help reassure her. Mostly, because being referred to as Mr. Hier reminded him of lectures he’d get from Cy when she wanted to make a point and also talk to him like a child. His brows furrowed as he realized how he thought of her at the oddest times. He took note of what the girl had said about Lord Norwood. First name Basil. “That’s good,” Cormac said almost ignoring the fact that Juliette had caught his mumbling. “Oh that your sister is now noble and getting married. It’s happening very fast and is really confusing, but I’m not very well educated in the way noble relationships work.” Outside of the fact that he was barred from marrying the woman he loved because of some ridiculous classist rules. “Perhaps you can tell me some of the rules.” |