After the Recital: Victoria & Leon & James
James' arrival had an immediate affect on Leon as his expression straightened and his smile vanished. James was always dressed well and to his upbringing, and while Leon also dressed to his upbringing, there was no money behind it, no tailor to cut seams exactly to his measurements. Leon's clothes fit him well because he'd been wearing them and mending them for years, and it showed. Leon had never bothered to feel self conscious about it, but the contrast was especially clear in that moment with both Victoria and now James looking like they belonged in a high society party while Leon needed to return to his newspaper delivery job.
Leon didn't want to stick around either, and would have just walked away if James hadn't so clearly been flirting with Victoria. Not just flirting, but taking her to a club. What? Leon looked at Victoria questioningly to confirm. Was she into James?