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Tweak says, "And I want there to be you."

loveanddespair (loveanddespair) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-06-23 21:49:00

Entry tags:

mercedes_dupont, plot, sabana_alvarez

Sabana Alvarez: A Nighttime Visitor
Subject: A worried friend.
Who: Sabana Eleadora Alvarez
Where: Sabana’s apartment.
Warnings: None
Open to: Mercedes Dupont

Sabana’s apartment smelled like the most glorious concoction of eastern delights housed as it was over the spice merchants. From her window she could see out towards the Opera house two streets away. She spent almost all her nights then – watching and being watched. She was becoming quite well known by the management which was just as well.

Settling at her dressing table Sabana examined her complexion in the looking-glass. There were a few more lines there in the corner of her eyes proving to her that she was growing older. She studied herself from profile. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, but striking certainly. Sighing to herself she reached for the little pot on her table, beginning to dab a little of the cream inside it on her face, a nightly routine before bedtime.

There came a sharp knock on the door, and then another.
"A moment, a moment!" Sabana said, rubbing the cream into her cheeks quickly. She reached for her dressing gown, slipping it on over her night clothes. She made her way to the front door, unlocking it and opening it a crack to peer into the darkness of the stairwell at whoever had chosen to visit her at this ungodly hour.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 09:04 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes was tired, covered in dust and dirt and splattered with mud. He'd come as quickly as he could to London from Dover, a good three hours of riding, and now he was not only emotionally exhausted, but physically so too. "Sabana..." He said, "Forgive the lateness but... but I need your advice." The Frenchman explained, hand resting on the frame of her door to hold himself up and stop himself from swaying. "About the Laurents, please. It can not wait."

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loveanddespair
2008-06-23 09:10 pm UTC (link)

Sabana opened the door wider, letting him slip inside before she shut and looked it again, hiding her expression from him as she did so. She'd known that boy was going to hurt Mercedes. She'd hoped differently of course, hoped that England would change him, change the family but they were obviously still the same as they had been in Paris.

"What's happened?" She asked, turning back to him. "Do you need something to restore you? I can fetch a drink."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 09:39 pm UTC (link)

"I... I would like a drink. Of some sort." He says, although he is unsure of what he wants.

Mercedes slipped inside at her invitation, collapsing down in a chair within her suit, pushing his damp hair from his eyes. "Aimé's brother came to see me. He had a letter, from Aimé." He said, tone measured, although emotion threatened on the edge of his words; he had had several hours to compose himself on the journey to her, and he seemed to be holding up well at the moment. "He said we should not continue our... relations. He said he had been foolish to carry on with me. I... I do not know if he truly means it, or if... if Antoine made him write." He explains, voice breaking slightly, and he looks at her, uncertain.

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loveanddespair
2008-06-23 09:47 pm UTC (link)

She fetched him a glass and a bottle of fine whiskey which she uncorked and poured for him.
"There." Sabana said soothingly, although she did not put the bottle away. She knew he'd need more before the evening was through.

She listened, lips pursed, to the story. What could she say? The boy was obviously all wrong for him and it would be simple to end it now, tell him that Aimé had probably meant it but she couldn't bring herself to lie to him. Mercedes had saved her life.
"I can only tell you what I think, Mercedes, but his brother was always very controlling. I told you that before. He would force the boy to drop patrons when they became unfashionable and move him onto someone with a bigger purse. You said yourself he never approved of your station."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 10:11 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes took the glass thankfully, taking a swallow and bidding her to sit down with him, offering her a smile. "You are the best of friends, Sabana."

"That is just it, Sabana!" Mercedes says, happy that she would understand so quickly what he intended to do. "My station is too low to offer Aimé what he needs, or to satisfy Antoine." He says, "And so I am... I want to become a gentleman. A titled, landed member of the gentry." He smiles widely at her, "I am going to leave England. Find my fortune, somewhere."

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loveanddespair
2008-06-23 10:16 pm UTC (link)

Sabana sat down quickly. She swallowed, unsure what to say to him.
"My you have thought about this." She said shakily after a moment. "But how do you plan to do that? Mercedes, you are still recovering from that wound and you're ship is in for repares and I know you're in debt, Mercedes. You've borrowed enough from me, and your sister and Aimé."

He wasn't think obviously. This was what she'd feared, that he would become so enrapt in Aimé that he'd forget about the reality of his situation.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 10:31 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes face fell. It was not only his smile that disappeared, but his shoulders drooped, he slumped back into the chair and he seemed to utterly defeat in one should exhale. "But I will be able to repay you all." He says softly, downing the rest of the whiskey and letting it encourage him again, "I will make my fortune, Sabana. You will see. I was planning to go back to India for two years or more, perhaps..." He pauses, looking over her, "I have many friends there, who would help me."

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loveanddespair
2008-06-23 10:35 pm UTC (link)

She reached for the bottle, topping up his glass again and sighed.

"Back to the company?" She asked. It was not such a bad idea. Many men seemed to be finding themselves out in India and the Caribbean. The trade in sugar was good, and spices and teas. She had thought of investing herself. Maybe in India he would forget the boy as well. "I think that would be a splendid idea, Mercedes."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 10:57 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes' grin widens. "You see, Sabana! I have thought this out. I shall return here, with more than enough money to replay you, and Aimé and Jeanne-Colette. And more than enough to buy a house and live comfortably! And then... then Antoine will have to accept us." He pauses then, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a long, thin envelope. "Antoine will not allow us to communicate directly. I was hoping... you could send a runner with this latter as soon as possible. Please?"

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	loveanddespair 2008-06-23 11:00 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana took the letter from him, holding it gingerly. It was only a letter, she could hardly object to that and it would sooth Mercedes. "I will, of course." She said, placing it on the table between the beside the whisky. "Tomorrow." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mercedes_dupont
2008-06-23 11:06 pm UTC (link)

"Thank you." He smiled, leaning back again, the tiredness over coming him. "This morning it seemed like the world would end. I though everyone was laughing at him, and my foolish heart. I was sure Aimé had fallen out of love with me..." He shook his head, surprised by his own feelings earlier in the day. "I was ready to throw myself from the ship and into the sea."

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	loveanddespair 2008-06-23 11:19 pm UTC (link)
	"Mercedes!" Sabana gasped, unable to understand how he could think such a foolish thing over a dismisal he knew in his heart was probably fake. "You would not have done that. Don't say such things!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mercedes_dupont 2008-06-23 11:24 pm UTC (link)
	He shrugs, "I felt worse than I ever had before, Sabana, and I hope to god in heaven I never feel that way again." He said to her, sipping more slowly this time at the Whiskey. "I know what I can do now to make sure I don't." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	loveanddespair 2008-06-23 11:27 pm UTC (link)
	He had to get himself away from that boy. India would do him good, put some sense into his head. "Is there anything else you need for your trip?" Sabana asked, looking back at that letter, unsure she should deliver it. The last thing she wanted was for Aimé to write back and hurt her dearest friend more than he already had. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mercedes_dupont
2008-06-24 05:46 am UTC (link)

Mercedes shakes his head. "I have supplies enough, certainly, and the Apollian will be in fit shape in only a day or so. But... But I would beg a favour from you." He explains, looking sheepish and lowering his head slightly. "I know I have already asked much of you but... But I will need a commission if I am to have any hope of ever being able to pay you back. I have... one or two associates in The Company's offices in London, however, that would waiver me that fee, if I could speak with them..."

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	loveanddespair 2008-06-24 09:58 am UTC (link)
	"What ever is it that you need, Mercedes?" She asked, used to his favours being for money but he'd not asked her for that -or at least did not seem to be. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mercedes_dupont 2008-06-24 03:25 pm UTC (link)
	"I do not want to seem rude to you, Sabana, but you are... you have quite a following. A famous opera singer, a beautiful woman, a smart business negotiator. I was hoping... that you would help me approach the Company again, and you would present my case to them?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	loveanddespair 2008-06-24 03:38 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana smiled widely. "Mercedes, you want me to use my charms and reputation? I'm suprised at you." She laughed, touching him lightly on the arm. "But of course, if I can be of help then I will." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mercedes_dupont 2008-06-24 09:56 pm UTC (link)
	"You are the most charming woman I know, Sabana, who better to ask?" He said, smiling at her, "If you can present my case to them, show them that you think I deserve this chance, how could they possibly refuse?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	loveanddespair 2008-06-25 09:24 am UTC (link)
	Sabana laughed, tapping him on his arm again before refilling his glass. "You are charming, Mercedes Dupont." (Reply to this) (Parent)