Lechance

Jonas arrived promptly at 5pm on Wednesday at Mercedes' place. He'd brushed up well, his hair slicked back, shoes polished, and he was wearing a smart new red shirt, along with his dress trousers and waistcoat. Clutched in his right hand was a small posy of unseasonal but very pretty wildflowers that hed collected this morning from the fields, and in his pocket in a small bottle was a tincture, carefully procurred from the Apothecary.

He took several long breaths to settle himself, and knocked firmly on the door

To say things were moving fast in Daniel's world was an understatement at best. He'd barely gotten in and settled, hardly started thinking about unpacking and arranging the boxes and crates and barrels waiting in the general store when he had word from Leroy that he had an appointment to keep. So in the midst of other organizing, he dug out the nicest clothes he'd brought with him, cleaned himself up and shaved and made plans to do just that. Go out and meet the Beloved Leroy thought might suit.

Which was how he ended up in the lobby of the hotel, watching the staircase hopefully on a late morning. He'd gone outside long enough to find flowers and rummaged through the stores things to find a decent length of trimming to bind around the stems so that he could make a makeshift bouquet. Then he'd headed back in, sent word up to Miss Blackwood and traded a few uncertain smiles with Gregor Hastings, the chaperone.

Santiago had acquired a new suit since the last time he'd called on Mr. Belgrave. New suit, new shoes. The chaperone, however, was the same. He sent his card up to let the other man know he'd arrived and kept his hands behind his back as he waited. He'd found something he hoped the other man would appreciate.

Patrick turned up at the Beloveds' hotel with an armful of lilies (arranged in a long boquet and adorned with a huge white bow) and the bookish Mr Wilkins in tow as chaperone.

He was looking a lot smarter than he had when he'd bumped into Amy on the street in his work clothes. He'd made enough money now, with the incredible wealth of early-blooming flowers in LeChance, to buy a new suit, in pale ochre, and his cravat and the handkerchief in his pocket were a dull green. The colours of the earth. They suited him, and he knew it.

He sent up his card to Amy and waited in the parlour he was shown into, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He'd liked Amy - a little timid, maybe, but surely a man could coax her into a little more courage if he tried? He was, he had to admit, excited and looking forward to this.