InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "hi"

Thomas Murray (thos_murray) wrote in lechance,
@ 2008-08-29 16:45:00

Entry tags:

courting, simon belgrave, z -- thomas murray

Friday 3pm, Simon Belgrave
Once his note had been returned, Thomas hadn't seen any sense in waiting around. After all, Mr. Belgrave had indicated a willingness to receive him on Friday afternoon, and 3 was a respectable time to call. It also meant that he would have the weekend clear to make the final arrangements to actually open his store on Monday morning.

Hoping that Mr. Belgrave would not be offended by his promptness, he arrived a little before three, and left his card at the front desk to be conveyed to Mr. Belgrave to announce his arrival, taking the chance to bespeak the services of one of the hotel's chaperones for their meeting at the same time. Then, flapping the tails of his coat neatly aside, took a seat on one of the benches in the lobby, and awaited the gentleman's convenience.

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	notsograve 2008-08-29 05:37 pm UTC (link)
	"I am an apothecary," Simon answered. "The apothecary in town, for the time being, it seems." There was a note of pride in his voice and in the curve of his smile. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-29 05:45 pm UTC (link)
	And rightful pride, met by Thomas' open admiration. "The apothecary, my word, Mr. Belgrave, you are a man of hidden depths. Did you study long to learn your trade?" Such knowledge, knowledge such as books could hold but could only be unlocked by the right mind, a mind ready primed with knowledge as the key. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

notsograve
2008-08-29 06:11 pm UTC (link)

"Not too terribly hidden if I tell them at the asking, I think." He chuckled. "But thank you. And I studied for quiet some time. With my father, in ways other than the accidental, since I was ten, and then I apprenticed properly at the age of thirteen with a shop across the city." He drank to keep himself from rambling. "May I ask, what is your trade, Mr. Murray?" Because of course he had one.

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	thos_murray 2008-08-29 06:16 pm UTC (link)
	"Ah." Thomas smiled, spreading the hand that wasn't balancing his teacup. "Nothing like as scholarly, I'm afraid. I merely sell knowledge. I keep a bookstore, near the market place. How does one study accidentally?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-29 06:35 pm UTC (link)
	Simon laughed quietly. "How is the sale of scholarly works not a scholarly profession? You sell yourself short, I think, Mr. Murray. And, ah, by listening and picking up tidbits here and there. By performing chores because they amuse without realizing that they were lessons as well." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-29 06:39 pm UTC (link)
	"The sale of scholarly works should not presuppose that the seller has any knowledge of the worlds of ideas contained within their covers," he countered, chuckling. "And I assure you, I sell nothing short." He did, however, have a good idea of the knowledge contained within the majority of covers in his shop. "Your father sounds to be a most cunning gentleman." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-29 07:17 pm UTC (link)
	"But you do, now and then, look between the covers of the books you sell, yourself, don't you?" He was assuming. And daring. And determinedly not being reserved. "My father is an astounding man, I agree." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-29 07:24 pm UTC (link)
	"I do, frequently, look between the covers of the books I sell, myself, indeed," he agreed, and laughed. "Sometimes I even read them. Tell me about your father?" Not reserved was definitely making for easier conversation than true reserve and formality would demand. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-29 07:55 pm UTC (link)
	Simon took and released a deep breath, his smile fond. "What can I tell you, Mr. Murray? My father's name is Anders Belgrave. He is wise, he is clever, he has rarely met a soul he would not call a friend. He loves children, suffers the introduction of most small animals with patience, and laughs more than he roars." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-30 05:15 am UTC (link)
	"He sounds to be a very fine man indeed," Thomas said, with a warm smile. "I take it that his children introduced a number of small animals to prove that patience?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-30 11:52 am UTC (link)
	"Child," he corrected, ducking his head slightly. "I am an only child, and yet I think I somehow managed to find every stray animal in the city. Possibly some that weren't." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-30 03:00 pm UTC (link)
	"No friends to help you bring them home?" he teased gently. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-30 03:20 pm UTC (link)
	"Plenty of friends," he allowed, "but none bold enough to stand beside me while I argued the merits of keeping yet another lizard." He laughed at himself again. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-30 03:23 pm UTC (link)
	"Lizards are fairly low on the scale of appealing small animals," he admitted, and laughed softly. "You're furnishing me with a remarkably clear picture of yourself as a small child, Mr. Belgrave. Are you still inclined to offer solace to poor homeless creatures?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-30 04:57 pm UTC (link)
	"I don't know. I've met some very handsome lizards in my time." Simon smiled. "I should like to have a dog, I think, once I'm settled, but other than that, no. Not as a matter of course, at least." He tilted his head. "Tell me something about you as a child, Mr. Murray. Now that I've bared my childlike soul." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-30 04:59 pm UTC (link)
	Thomas tilted his head and drank more tea, pondering. "There isn't a great deal to tell. I was a rather solitary child, I suppose. I spent a lot of time in my mother's library, with her books." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-30 05:09 pm UTC (link)
	"Your mother is a librarian?" He was guessing. "And you're an only child yourself, then?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-08-31 02:06 am UTC (link)
	"My mother is a plant collector," he explained. "She and my father had a rather extensive and eclectic library. I have a sister - an older sister, in fact, some eight years older, but we were never close. Our father died when I was young - I'm not sure that my mother's actually noticed yet." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-08-31 11:38 am UTC (link)
	"I'm sorry," Simon said sincerely, brow furrowed. He couldn't imagine losing his father, though of course he would one day. "Your mother must have a very successful career." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-09-01 08:55 am UTC (link)
	"I believe she does, yes." Not one that he followed, yet Serafina usually mentioned when she'd received letters. "It is also some years since I have seen her. My sister remains in contact." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-09-01 11:56 am UTC (link)
	It was a little difficult to know how to address that. Simon concentrated on his tea, mind spinning. Probably best to leave it alone at this point, he supposed, so he sought something else. "Do you write back often? I mean, do you have aspirations to write, yourself?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-09-01 12:34 pm UTC (link)
	Thomas tilted his head, a small frown creasing his brows as he observed Mr. Belgrave's reactions. "I write to my sister each week, but I don't think that's quite what you were meaning, is it?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-09-01 12:55 pm UTC (link)
	"Not precisely. I meant whether you had any desire to write a book of your own." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thos_murray 2008-09-01 01:15 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh, I see!" Smiling, Thomas shook his head. "No. No, Mr. Belgrave, my skills lie in finding the correct homes for books, not creating new ones. And you? Do you intend to commit your apothecarial knowledge to the printed page?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notsograve 2008-09-01 01:46 pm UTC (link)
	"No, no." He smiled and shook his head emphatically. "I may be able to speak well enough to keep a customer clear on when to take which powder, but writing in a way that wouldn't put the reader to sleep has never been a strength of mine." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)