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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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make_war
2008-08-12 03:25 pm UTC (link)

Makepeace Avery, sucessful Navy commander, priced strategist and staunch Quaker found himself more nervous on entering the Ball room then he had felt during his first sea-battle. There had been more blood then, but he was certain there had been less slaughter. In his opinion, anyway. He had tired, tried, to build up the courage, as Miss Beeton had told him, to ask a young lady to dance, but as yet he'd not even had the courage or resolve to step out from the side of the room and strike up conversation with any of the other guests, female or not.

He swallowed. Forsaken place only seemed to be serving beverage of an alcoholic nature this evening, and he had get seen a servant free enough to fetch him a cup of tea. Even a cup of that fowl tasting French coffee would have helped him now, helped him locate his land-legs, and his social-legs too.

It was a pity, he realised then, he can come in his dress uniform. Any of his other clothes may have made him less obvious in the room, but he left eyes and attention on him and it made him feel even more the fool for accepting Lord Hurst's invitation, friend of the Admiral or not.

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lost_romance
2008-08-13 07:50 am UTC (link)

“You look very handsome,” Louisa said, hoping that would stop his fussing for a moment or so at least. Poor Mr. Makepeace had seemed so very worried about coming tonight that he’d brought Louisa along to chaperone him which she’d thought quite comical. “All young ladies admire a man in uniform.”

She pointed across the ballroom at a pretty girl, hiding behind her fan. “Why not ask her? The poor dear is obviously shy.”

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make_war
2008-08-14 03:34 am UTC (link)

"Thank you, Miss Beeton." He said with something of a relieved smile. "I admit I have been feeling very much over-dressed. Perhaps I should go home and change? After all, I may be looking too stern and..." He swallowed, giving her another small, embarrassed smile. "You do not think it is a good idea?"

He shook his head. "I could not possibly ask, Miss Beeton. I could not possibly." He said, with feeling. "She is not shy, only waiting for her husband or betrothed. It would be rude of me to ask to dance without knowing her circumstances. Perhaps I should dance with you instead, for the time being?" He offered.

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lost_romance
2008-08-14 08:33 am UTC (link)

Louisa smiled, rolling her eyes and she reached forward to adjust his collar. "No, I don't think it's a good idea. You look just lovely and there isn't a young lady alive who wouldn't relish a dance with such a well turned out man."

"That’s a very sweet offer, Mr. Makepeace, but it would not be rude to ask her - even if she was married or betrothed. A young lady can still enjoy a dance."

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make_war
2008-08-14 10:20 am UTC (link)

"Clearly not as well turned out as I thought." He said, somewhat embarrassedly, as she fixed the high lapels. "I thought I had had them starched properly, but it seems that they were not."

Makepeace nodded as she spoke, his eyes searching the crowd of guests, swallowing nervously. "Perhaps, before I ask any other young lady, you might join me in a dance? I have not yet danced outside of your house and I would not wish to make a fool of myself here."

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lost_romance
2008-08-14 10:40 am UTC (link)

"One dance couldn't hurt, I suppose." Louisa agreed. "And it will give all the young ladies in the room a chance to see you as you dance by, with poor old me. They'll be clamouring to get you away from such an old bat." She said with a laugh, although it not might not have been quite as happy as it seemed. She felt rather out of place in a room where almost all the women were either young, or contentedly married.

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	make_war 2008-08-17 05:48 pm UTC (link)
	"I would rather dance with you, Miss Beeton, and know you would not laugh at my inevitable mistakes." He told her, offering her his hand to lead her into the centre of the room, as he had been taught. "And I would not have you stand alone here without companionship while I danced myself dizzy." He added, with a small smile, a true smile. (Reply to this) (Parent)

krochester
2008-08-17 10:08 am UTC (link)

Katherine had not neglected Lord Hurst's invitation. She had every intention of going, if only to placate her mother, but on the evening of the ball, Katherine had found herself quite comfortably at Eward's bedside once again, even dressed as she was in finery befitting the event she was supposed to attend. The hour drew later, and she finally forced herself away, arriving dreadfully late to the festivities, already in full swing.

She swallowed uncomfortably upon entering. What a sight she must look, her dress wrinkled at the back from where she had sat on it, her hair a bit flat from the hours since she had dressed it, and arriving late. Anyone who did not know better - which effectively included all in attendance - would think she had been doing quite inappropriate things in her absence. But the only person she truly had to steer clear of, at least for the moment, was her mother.

Katherine thought she heard her mother's voice, and for a brief moment was startled. She spun around, ready to walk away from the supposed sound, but practically ran headlong into a very large figure. Blinking, Katherine found her eyes were level with the unmistakable vestments characteristic of the Navy. Her heart raced; the last thing she needed in avoiding her mother was to run into a Naval officer, of all things. Curtsying hurriedly, Katherine muttered, "Forgive me, my lord, I...I did not mean to intercept you so rudely."

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make_war
2008-08-17 05:31 pm UTC (link)

Makepeace had been rather shaken from his thoughts at the jolt, and he turned, glad, if truth be told, that there was something to distract him from his thirst and desire for a good cup of tea, and his nerves. There were so many unfamiliar dances he had not yet mastered, and he was, since talking to Miss Beeton, terrified several young women were about to pounce on him and demand he dance the most complicated of routines with them.

On discovering the bump he had felt was caused by a rather dishevelled young woman, his nerves suddenly rose again. So it had started, this was the first young creature who was to demand he make a fool of himself tonight. But then he heard her, her apologetic words, and he seemed to deflate slightly with relief, smiling at her embarrassedly.

"No a Lord, dear Lady, not a Lord, far from the truth." He offered her, bowing in return to her curtsy, as only was proper. "Commander Avery, my lady, at your service. Please, I should have known better then to stand in the way." He said, "I beg your forgiveness."

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krochester
2008-08-17 06:17 pm UTC (link)

Katherine, still a bit shaken from having both run into someone and trying desperately to avoid her mother, found his hesitation and correction endearing. At the very least she might find suitable conversation to distract her from where she had been before. Not that she particularly wanted a distraction from being with Eward, but it would look quite odd if she were to stare off into space for the whole ball.

Smiling with as much warmth as she could muster, Katherine replied, "Katherine Rochester, Commander, and you need not ask for any forgiveness. It was indeed my folly in running into you as I did. If either of us should be requesting forgiveness, it is I. I do hope I have not interrupted you in any way?" Katherine may have been coarse to most people, but she had a way with niceties if need be. And Commander Avery had done nothing to warrant her bad side.

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