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Tweak says, "I like muffins."

Lord Chistopher Blake II (blakethesecond) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-05-03 22:35:00

Entry tags:

christopher_blake, emilie_ashford

Subject: A walk.
Where: The city of London.
Who: Lord Christopher Blake II
Warnings: None as yet.
Open to: Anyone who may be passing or wants to play with Christopher.

Christopher had had a rare thought to go out and enjoy London, and for once he decided to act on it. Sometimes he found he missed the city life, tucked away in the countryside of Surrey with similar faces. Though he adored his work and would not give it up for the world, he frequently grew tired. It was not exactly relaxing in the English capital but it was certainly a change of scenery. The people were new: perhaps not all too pleasant but at least they were English. He had been with Revolutionaries so much he worried he had forgotten how to speak his own language.

Stopping at a stall to smell a bouquet a very busty woman had put together, Christopher engaged her in idle chatter. She needn't know he was a Lord. He wasn't exactly wearing the finery associated with the title, and he liked that fact. Here, he could disappear.

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miss_emilie_ash
2008-05-03 10:54 pm UTC (link)

Emilie had decided just the thing to appease her mother about her tardiness at Lady Morton's tea would be a lovely bouquet. She reached in the pocket of her newly fashionable round gown and drew out a tiny velvet drawstring bag holding coins. As she did so, a bundle of vanilla pods, tied with a bit of string, fell on the foot of a gentleman also admiring the flower arrangements.

"Pardon! I am so very sorry!" Emilie bent to pick up the tiny bundle, hoping the gentleman would not wonder why she carried such an odd thing on her person.

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	blakethesecond 2008-05-03 11:35 pm UTC (link)
	Christopher hadn't noticed the woman, and he had not noticed the pods fall on his foot. When he heard her cries of apology he looked startled, then as he realised what was the matter he shook his head. "Please, allow me," he said, dipping down to retrieve the pods and hand them back to her. "It is of no worry, no harm was done," he assured her, offering a smile. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	miss_emilie_ash 2008-05-03 11:47 pm UTC (link)
	"Thank you, sir." Emilie replied, taking the offered pods gingerly from his hand. She tucked them into back into her pocket and composed her flushed face into a smile. "This is the best flower stall in all of London, wouldn't you agree?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blakethesecond
2008-05-04 11:32 am UTC (link)

Christopher went to reply but found all he could give her was an open mouth. Looking back to the stall and then back to the lady Christopher smiled as he answered. "Ah I am not all familiar with the stalls of London, Miss, as it has been quite a while since I came into the city. But certainly, on first impressions, it has a grander selection than any other I have seen."

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	miss_emilie_ash 2008-05-04 05:47 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh? Are you here for the Season?" She quickly took in his whole person with her large green eyes. He was not dressed as dandily as most of the men who came to London for the Season, but his speech and manners would indicate a very good education. "You have picked a nice time to come to the city. The weather is very good." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blakethesecond
2008-05-05 09:35 am UTC (link)

"No, actually I only came for the Ambassador's ball..." he replied, straightening up after he had stooped to read how much a fascinating bouquet was selling for. He didn't want her to think he was disinterested with her and so he now paid her fullest attention. "..but I cannot deny the weather is splendid! Forgive me for not saying so before, Miss - it is rude of me - I am Lord Christopher Blake. May have the pleasure of your name?"

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	miss_emilie_ash 2008-05-05 04:55 pm UTC (link)
	Emilie gave a small curtsy and said "Miss Emilie Ashford, Lord Blake." She handed coins to the flower girl and continued "The weather is quite glorious this spring! I have been doing more walking than my mother would like I think, due to it!" "I missed the Ball by a day. Should I be terribly saddened about it?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blakethesecond
2008-05-06 02:56 pm UTC (link)

"I feel I am not the one to ask about the Ball - I am not a great lover of such grand social occasions. I think I must be in the minority because I have heard such raving reviews of the evening but I prefer quieter and more relaxed affairs," he replied, judging his words carefully. Though she didn't seem to have allegiences to anyone he was still playing it carefully. "It is wonderful weather I must admit. My house in the country is privy to the heat, it is light a suntrap!"

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miss_emilie_ash
2008-05-06 03:29 pm UTC (link)

"Depending on the company, I enjoy a smaller affair as well. And you are the second person to say I should not be downcast to have missed it, so I shall embrace your view of the evening and feel better for it, though I am sorry if you did not enjoy yourself."
Suddenly, a small boy dressed slightly better than most in his social strata, but still lacking shoes, came up to Emilie.
"Miss Ashford?" He questioned, looking like a bird that would fly at the slightest movement.
Emilie paused in her conversation and leaned down to the boy. "Yes, how can I help you, young squire?" Her voice was soothing and open.
"Oh thank the lord I found ye! I was sent by Polly McKinley, wot said you helped her when she was..." he looked at Lord Blake and bowed so low his head nearly touch the dirt on the sidewalk but would not finish his sentence, instead he began again.
"Sorry to be troublin Miss..." His eyes darted here and there.
Emilie's face broke into a sweet, gentle smile, a light in her eyes revealing she understood.
"Young Sir, go to my carriage, which is parked around the corner of that street and give your name and address to my foot boy. I will speak to you later today." She slipped him a coin, straightened up and turned back to Lord Blake.
"There are always girls in need of positions." she said in a cool, but polite, tone.
"How was the wine at the ball? Was that at least to your liking? I hear the cakes were delightful!"

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blakethesecond
2008-05-08 11:06 am UTC (link)

Christopher was smilig at the lad though he was curious as to what Miss Ashford had supposedly done for the girl in question. Allowing them to make the exchange without interruption Christopher busied himself until Emilie saw it fit to engage him in conversations.

"The wine was quite fine, rich to taste, but I am afraid I steered clear of the cakes. They do not really agree with me. I am sure you will be able to try them for yourself eventually, there is bound to be another ball held in the future."

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miss_emilie_ash
2008-05-08 02:15 pm UTC (link)

"I do hope so. I love to dance. It makes me feel almost like a bird must feel when she flies!" She tucked her flowers into a basket on her arm.
"Are there any other things you might need to purchase? I always do my shopping here, at this market, and would be glad to show you the best dealers and warehouses." She gave him a genuinely friendly smile. She knew her father would be proud of her for being so courteous to a Lord. Further, this one seemed very gentle and did not question her, nor raise an accusing brow, when she had been speaking to the boy a moment ago. But had he known what she really was to help the the boy's sister with, Lord Blake may have turned on his heel and left her there in the street. She wondered how far along in confinement the girl was, and was it an employer who had gotten her in this state, or a love match.
Would she want to keep it, or would Emilie have to find a guardian for the babe amongst some of her country friends? She cleared her head and concentrated on Lord Blake.
"I also know the best tabaccoist in the area as well!

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blakethesecond
2008-05-10 04:58 am UTC (link)

"You do? Well I am not one for Tobacco, but I shall take the offer of knowing where the best dealers are. I was never one for scouting in his market." He neglected to say his servants used to do it for him. "And now I am residing in Surrey the opportunity to do so hardly presents itself. I should be glad to accompany you shopping."

Lord Blake smiled to her, wondering what it was the boy had actually come to arrange. He was never going to ask; a woman's secrets were never to be queried but he could not help but think she was doing something rather touching for the girl in question.

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miss_emilie_ash
2008-05-10 01:09 pm UTC (link)

"Yes! When I was little, I would come down here with my mother and purchased my father's favourite Tabacco for him, as a surprise when he returned from a long trip." Emilie's eyes took on a sad, far away look, then became bright again. "I love to shop these stalls. I do every Tuesday like clockwork, then on other days, if I feel I need some less stifling air." Emilie loved being around all sorts of people. Sometimes she felt she could not breath when confronted by all the restrictions and hypocrisy in her fellow 'genteel' humans. She also knew that many girls depended on being able to find her, or send someone to find her in the market and it was good that everyone know she would be there every Tuesday.

"Oh, Surrey? I went once, to see Betchworth castle and Godalming waterway. My Papa says Surrey is one of the best locations for goods and meat in the country! I thought the roads quite good, as well. Which part of Surrey is it you reside in? Do you know Lord _________. He resides in Surrey, also."
She could not resist finding out if this kind man knew her betrothed. She often grasped at hope that Lord _______ might have some good qualities, though she had seen none. She tried, at every chance, to find someone who had at least one kind thing to say about it. So far, it had been fruitless.
She stopped in front of a ices seller and began looking at the day's flavours in a nonchalant manner.

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