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Tweak says, "Ca Va bien merci ^_^"

Lord Tobias Hurst, Duke of Devon (lord_hurst) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-08-08 21:41:00

Entry tags:

aime_laurent, antoine_laurent, beatrice_stanley, beth_downing, constance_mosley, demetri_blake, georgina_rochester, gwendolyn_linley, harry_fisher, jacques_belmont, katerina_ashcroft, marie_hardwick, melisande_auclair, nell_abbot, patience_hurst, piper, plot, rupert_aveline, sergius_petrov, slater, thaddeus_chadwick, theodore_berteaut, thérèse_du_labarre, tobias_hurst, vivian_thorpe

Lord Hurst: A Ball In His Honour
Item: An invitation sent out by Lord Hurst to many of those in the upper portion of society
Who: Lord Hurst on behalf of Sergius Petrov
Warnings: TBA
Open to: All of the nobility, friends of the Hurst family, those being blackmailed by Sergius, plus Constance, Slater, and Harry.

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-09 05:01 pm UTC (link)

Vivian had never felt so out of place in her life.

She was surrounded by people in grand clothing and beautiful jewels, clutching glasses of champagne, discussing Lord Whathisface and Lady Whosit and Miss Thing's imminent marriage to him, oh really... she had no idea, honestly. Ask her to give you a rundown of the local Hackney slags and she'd be happy to help but she couldn't tell you the first thing about who married who, who was sleeping with who, and all the other gossip that seemed important among high society.

Her dress was pretty enough, new, bought for her by Slater. It was lovely, probably one of the most expensive things she'd ever had on her body, and it was a mild comfort to know she wasn't standing there in her usual rags. Her hair was swept back off of her shoulders into a knot, and the only jewellery she wore was the brooch given to her on her birthday. It was the only jewellery she owned. Everything else had no doubt been destroyed by now by a very angry Harry.

Leaning against a wall and shrinking back into the shadows, she sipped her drink, trying not to gulp it as she was tempted to do. Very unladylike.

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jacques_belmont
2008-08-09 08:41 pm UTC (link)

Since it looked like he would have to socialize after all and (worse!) dance, Jacques thought he might as well do a good job at it. It was extremely inconvenient he had no one to introduce him; his own social skills were not quite up to the task of staging introductions.

After brooding in his corner a while longer, he adjusted his tri-color sash, and turned. Best try.

There was a woman next to him, clearly as uncomfortable here as he was. Jacques felt a stirring of pity. "Ah, bonjour Mademoiselle. Do you, euh...." Damn damn damn! O Supreme Being, why forsake him now? He was committed to conversation already! Why was his mind blank? "Need something to drink?" Jacques quietly dumped the contents of his punch cup into a potted plant behind him and brought it forward. "I was, euh, going to get somezing myself and zought it would, euh... only be polite to save you ze trip as well if you needed... euh, anyzing."

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-09 08:58 pm UTC (link)

Vivian blinked, a little caught off-guard by someone talking to her, especially someone with such an accent. She turned and focused on him, listening close to his words in order to catch them all. Once he'd stopped, she looked down at her own glass, then hocked back the rest of the champagne in a rather classless way, if she was honest with herself. "A drink would be lovely, thank you." She tried to make herself sound as posh as possible without it sounding forced.

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jacques_belmont
2008-08-09 09:27 pm UTC (link)

Jacques blinked. Well, the English did love to drink. He himself had been to a number of English dinners where the supremely British prediliction for toasts and responses bored him witless. The men toasted whatever came to mind when the ladies were there, and continued on with even more vigor after the ladies had left. Jacques was now convinced it was all an excuse for the men to drink, not any mark of politesse.

"Bien." He kept his accent firmly in hand on the switch back to English. "Would you care for more champagne then... Mademoiselle...?"

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mrslater
2008-08-10 06:11 am UTC (link)

"I think she's got more than enough barmen at her service, Monsieur." Slater sidled up to the two of them, fully groomed and in his best attire. Nobody would ever guess that this man was the overlord of underground London, the leader of the South Bank just by looking at him. A few faces in the area certainly appeared to recognise him but Slater ignored them for the moment. He didn't bother changing his voice - if the poshies didn't like it that was their problem - and so when he spoke he was gruff but with an air of utmost control. "Still, if you're going to grab a few glasses bring me one as well, would you? Can't socialise when the throat's turned to sandpaper."

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-10 07:37 am UTC (link)

As Slater arrived, a smile settled itself on Vivian's face; he was looking rather smart, so she was proud to be there with him, plus he was someone she knew. So she wasn't standing there alone, looking entirely out of place. "Darling," She greeted, stepping a little closer to him and kissing his cheek before looking sideways at Jacques. "Champagne, yes, thanks. You're very kind." She looked back at Slater then, leaning in to talk into his ear, so only he could hear. "Am I looking alright tonight? I wondered, you know, I want you to be proud of me..."

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	jacques_belmont 2008-08-10 09:38 am UTC (link)
	Jacques gave another bow. "Of course, citoyen." He turned and rolled his eyes, but snagged three glasses of champagne. At least he could get out of dancing. "Here you are, mademoiselle, citoyen. I am Jacques Belmont, from the French Embassy. And you are?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrslater
2008-08-10 09:49 am UTC (link)

Slater smiled when Vivian kissed him, snaking a subtle arm around her waist to give her a small squeeze before he patted her behind. "You look beautiful. I could never be anything less. The pick of the party," he beamed, before his attention was caught by alcohol and he took the champagne gratefully.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Belmont. To those who do not know me, I am Mister Slater. Slater to those who do. What have you been dragged here for this evening?"

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-10 10:03 am UTC (link)

When she felt him touch her behind, Vivian smirked, her cheeks flushing a little at his compliments. Slater's approval meant a lot to her, and her arm slid around the back of his shoulders gently. "Thank you, darlin'... you're not looking so bad yourself. I love it when you get all nice and smart... almost as much as I love you when you're all gruff and filthy." Her words were murmured into his ear, and she chuckled to herself, before turning to take her own champagne. "Thanks ever so much, Monsieur." And taking a long sip.

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jacques_belmont
2008-08-10 07:52 pm UTC (link)

Jacques's smile became noticeably more forced at the display of physical affection. Granted, these were commonplace in France and generally Jacques approved of passionate handclasps or kisses on the hand on cheek, but this was a little much even for his Rousseauian sensibilities. Escape, escape!

"You are quite welcome. I, ah... I am 'ere to represent France." He ruefully tugged on his tricolor sash. "I do not do my homeland credit, I am afraid. You are London inhabitants?"

Jacques sorted through his dwindling fund of small talk. Two or three more questions and he could bolt.

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	social_climber 2008-08-14 11:45 am UTC (link)
	He had been trying to avoid her and Slater most of the evening, but now the press of the crowd and the movement of the dancers had, in their course, brought him within three feet of her. And that close, he couldn't well ignore her. "Evening, Viv." He said, tone cool but not impolite. He had a part to play here, and it wasn't gang lord. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vivianthorpe
2008-08-14 11:51 am UTC (link)

Viv was caught quite unawares by the familiar voice addressing her. She turned, and blinked, and realised that Harry had spoken to her. Swallowing the large lump in her throat, she wet her lips and turned to him. This could go very badly, she knew, so she had to play it well to avoid any more heartbreak and hurt.

"Evening, Harry," She replied softly, her tone considerably warmer than his. She even accompanied it with a small smile. "You're looking well."

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	social_climber 2008-08-14 11:57 am UTC (link)
	"Thank you." He said, pausing to lean against the wall. "You aren't looking too bad either. Nice dress. New?" He asked, as if he wasn't aware that she'd left the Theatre only with what she had at the time. "Very fancy. Especially for a girl that everyone seems to think I tossed into the river." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vivianthorpe
2008-08-14 12:11 pm UTC (link)

"Mmm, new." She gave him another little smile, looking down at herself and brushing down her skirts gently. When he spoke again, she frowned a little, looking up at him. "Wh-Who thinks you tossed me in the river? I mean, I heard about the redhead they dragged up, a few people mentioned thinking it was me, but... even if it was, who'd think you did me in? And why?" Naive to say, probably.

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social_climber
2008-08-14 12:26 pm UTC (link)

"Half of London, or so it seems." He told her with a shrug, as if to say It almost ruined my reputation, but do I care? No, because I know it's all a load of horse shite. "There was a gent come to the Theatre looking for you. Tall, posh looking, nose as ugly as sin." He said, with a swallow from his glass. "Demanded to know why I'd killed you, wouldn't believe I hadn't. I had to show him that letter to make him calm down." He paused, speaking a little more softly now. "He took some of the stuff you left. Said he'd look after it for you." Some of her stuff. The stuff he hadn't chucked into the river in a fit of rage.

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-14 12:31 pm UTC (link)

As she listened, she went through her nervous motions again, the swallow, the swipe of her tongue over her lips, the smoothing of her skirts. She'd wanted to talk to Harry now for weeks and had no idea how to go about it. And now here he was, stood in front of her, and they were utterly surrounded by people that she didn't want overhearing what she wanted to say. It was always the way.

She frowned again, tilting her head. "Posh man?" She knew of no posh man in London who'd bother about her. No one cared that much. "I... I'll try and seek him out." Something he'd said stuck with her, though, and she glanced up at him, her expression somewhat afraid, nervous, her eyes curious, however. "You, uhm... you read my letter?" She'd been desperate to know his reaction to it. She wondered if she'd find out.

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social_climber
2008-08-14 12:41 pm UTC (link)

"I read it." He said in the same careful, quite voice. He'd read it and put it away, and tried hard no to dwell on it. Move on, get over it, you have a business to run. That was very much his motto.

"Posh man. Had an Indian servant following him about." And that was about as much as Harry could tell her, having been more concerned at that point on his own safety considering the murderous rage of the stranger.

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vivianthorpe
2008-08-14 12:44 pm UTC (link)

Indian servant? She... no. It couldn't be, could it? The only posh man she knew of that could care about her and had connections to India was Hector. But... he couldn't be back. Surely. "I... I'll be sure to look out for him, yes." She cleared her throat, looking down at the floor. He read it. That was the most he was going to say?

"Do you... d-did you have anything you wanted to say? Any... questions? A-About it?"

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