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only_daughter (only_daughter) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-06-11 18:14:00

Entry tags:

character_development, ella_wexley, patience_hurst, tobias_hurst

Patience Hurst: Tea Party
Subject: Tea party
Who: Patience Hurst
Where: The Hurst’s townhouse, London
Warnings: N/A
Open to: The Hurst’s, Patience’s friends, young ladies.

Patience had been looking forward to this little tea party for quite some time. It would give her a chance to show off just how well she would host when she herself was lady of a house. She had planned a light lunch of sandwiches, tea and some little cakes to be followed by a musical recital in which she would provide the accompaniment on piano.

She hoped then that her brother Charles would favour them with some of his romantic poetry but if not then she had one of the new novels from which they could take it in turns to read allowed until it was time for the guests to leave for home.

Patience would have preferred to host an afternoon tea outside in the gardens of Bailston Abby but the town house was very fine still, and it did make it easier for everyone to meet.

She settled herself on one of the chairs, brushing down the skirts of her new dress brought especially for the occasion and waited for the expected knock on the door.

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missella
2008-06-11 08:14 pm UTC (link)

As soon as Ella received the invitation she knew she had to go to the party alone. No stuffy maids as chaperones for her! The ride had been achingly boring even though she'd taken along one of Miles Rochester's books to reread. The scandalous stories he wrote! They made her giggle, but even Miles's clever tales couldn't keep her from growing bored on her trip.

When she finally arrived she practically bounded out of the carriage and up to the door. She knocked quickly, then set about taking off her gloves and untying the wide ribbons holding her bonnet on.

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only_daughter
2008-06-11 08:18 pm UTC (link)

The Butler opened the door and escorted Ella into the drawing room where Patience had been waiting, lounging rather bored herself in a chair. As soon as she saw Ella she was up on her feet, smiling broadly.

"Ella! I was beginning to worry everyone had forgotten!" Patience said, taking care to brush back her hair so Ella might see the necklace daddy had given her for the occasion. "Won't you come and have some tea? How was the ride?"

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missella
2008-06-11 08:27 pm UTC (link)

"If it weren't for Miles's book I think I should have fallen asleep and been bounced right out of the carriage," Ella said, though her tone was amused instead of bitter. What fun would that have been? The driver might not have even noticed! She could have wandered around the country at her leisure. Certainly a search party would have been sent for her eventually.

She spied the lovely necklace Patience was wearing and her mouth fell open in a most ungainly fashion. Her hand covered her mouth instantly as she gasped. She'd certainly never seen her friend wear it before. It had to be new!

"Patience Hurst, have you got a wealthy suitor!?" Ella said loudly into her hand. It wasn't to her taste, but the necklace was undeniably gorgeous. "That necklace makes you even more beautiful!"

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only_daughter
2008-06-11 09:08 pm UTC (link)

Patience frowned a little, although she preened when Ella complimented her. "No, no suitor I'm afraid. Daddy gave it to me, but maybe it will attract a rich suitor who is worried someone else may be ready to snap me up?" She said, smiling widely. She linked arms with Ella, leading her to the table on which she had laid out the tea things.

"Miles Rochester's books? Aren't they dreadfully wicked?" She asked.

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missella
2008-06-11 09:22 pm UTC (link)

Ella tucked her gloves into her bonnet, after pulling it off of her head, and set the items on a side table as they passed it. She nodded once at the comment about Miles's books. "Absolutely dreadfully wicked! I feel scandalous just reading them! He is a genius, and I know that his sister Kat has done nothing but encourage him. He seems so coy about his writing, but he really should be praised to the highest degree!"

She patted the back of Patience's hand gently, a reassuring gesture.

"I have no doubts in my mind that you really will have plenty of rich suitors ready to whisk you away to your very own grand estate. And if the men have all gone blind to your beauty and charm, with or without your lovely accessory, then I may have to do something delightfully terrible... such as resort to blackmail! I cannot imagine you marrying anyone lowlier than a Marquess."

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only_daughter
2008-06-17 11:25 am UTC (link)

"Do you think so?" Patience asked. "I agree they're scandalous but all for the wrong reasons. Women sitting in the House of Lords? I do declare if I was ever given such an awful job I would be quite awful at it. I would change my mind in an instant. One day I would be a social reformer and the next a conservative. I would not know what I thought! And his latest one - that woman leaving her husband! What an awful notion that she thought she should take the children with her when she'd brought shame on her family."

Despite her dislike of the content Patience did still read Miles Rochester's books. After all, they were fashionable.

She smiled widely, and tossed her hair. "A Marquess? I should say. But only if he has a brother for you. For then we shall be sisters!"

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