» A day of Shopping..., open

[Ariana Castello-Roskin]

Ariana laughed in delight at the strange man's cunning little plan. She so loved these sorts of plans!

"Oh, certainly! We must, Miss Hurston. I am quite sure I can put up with your aunt for such a cause," she was grinning in anticipation. "After all, I must admit that I am not so terribly ill in the art of acting."

Ariana smirked at the idea of Cecily's aunt gossiping. It was only bound to happen; the strange new man would hardly be able to escape gossip around that woman. "Yes. I may have only lived here a year, but if you need some key gossip news, I would point you in that direction."

Arria looked expectantly at the foreign -- at least, so she was convinced -- man. "It would make things so very interesting for us, if you would join our little party, sir. That is, walk near us in the same general direction." In reality Ariana was hoping that Cecily's aunt would pull some information out about the gentleman. If only he would quench her curiosity a little!

[Henry Everson]

“Ah, but Miss Roskin,” he said emphatically, “there is no ‘our’ little party. For you are traveling separate from Miss Hurtson to call on her. I myself,” he said, considering, “since I am not needed by Miss Hurston, will be with my cousin,” he said, looking back at the general store, where Horatia was still seen inside, now juggling several bundles as the shopkeeper handed them over to her. “The two of us may call on Madame—Hurston, I presume?” he asked, looking to Cecily for confirmation of her aunt’s surname. “Where, happening upon you, we will be introduced. In this way, I may meet not only Miss Roskin, but Miss Hurston’s family as well. An ideal situation, I think. And very few alibi’s needed. I have an aunt, too, you know. I have some notion what it’s like.”

She emerged a few moments later, the topmost package toppling from her stack and landing at the base of the steps in the dirt. She sighed and called across the street. “Henry!”

Henry pretended not to hear. As the call was repeated, he looked up and sighed, nodded, crossed the street, and helped her with her things, though she herself took charge of a small bag of sugar, which she rested on her hip.

“Yer so kind,” she said sweetly with wide, innocent eyes. Henry smirked in response, knowing the words to have a hidden barb. He leaned in as they approached the two young ladies, saying, “It was an unkind thing to do, Horatia, giving my name away so crudely in the streets like that.”

“Oh, Mr. Everson! I am so sorry!” Horatia gasped, looking at the two young ladies. The look of innocence was still there, but Henry found it impossible to discover whether or not she was sincere in her apology and had chosen the less offensive, familiar name to call him by, or if she had just taken the opportunity to reveal his complete name to the two young ladies he had been trying to entertain. His nature inclined him to suspect the latter.

“Miss Roskin, Miss Hurston, I introduce my cousin, Miss Horatia Lyon,” Henry said stiffly. Horatia curtsied a little lopsidedly with the sugar and quietly excused herself to unburden herself in the carriage. Henry followed with the remainder of her packages and in brief related their plans to her.

“Well that seems unnecessary,” he said. “Why not conduct Miss Roskin and Hurston back to their home in the carriage, attend on the aunt while she changes, then set out anew?”

Henry opened his mouth to protest, then closed. When he had thought through a response, he opened it once more. “Because that would quite undermine the point, I think.”

“Oh, good Lord, Henry!” said Horatia in an exasperated tone as she shifted the weight of the sugar on her hip maternally. “I’m telling ye—and I’ve told ye before, nau—if ye had but one such person as me over there that whole war, it could have been over in two years! The reason things were tolerated t’drag on at such a pace was because ye all enjoyed it, fer sure and fer certain!”

Henry rolled his eyes and Horatia, eyebrows lifting, bounced the sugar again and said, “Yes, Henry Everson, you enjoyed it and now yer trying to bring yer sneakings an’ peekings to Middleton. The young ladies, I dinna doubt, will like it. But the mothers! It’s a new force ye’ll have to reckon with, here. And I dinna think, Henry,” she added pointedly in a tone that Henry had come to tremble under—for he felt it usually carried too much weight and truth to be reckoned with—“ye’ll be able to call on the favours of yer foul-weather friends to fetch you out of the infamous ‘wet petticoat’ conundrum!”

Henry chewed the inside of his cheek as she smiled prettily at him. He hated that. Horatia was quite right, of course. Not many men at the Yard or abroad would be of much help to him with alibis or intelligence, even if they offered to—unlikely—, on such matters as this. “You would be surprised how many skirmishes of import involved wet petticoats,” he said with a smirk. It was a base retort, but Horatia had him cornered and check-mated at the moment, for he could not speak as freely as he wanted within the earshot of the young ladies. Still, he knew Horatia well. She didn’t disappoint.

“Henry Everson, y—!” she fumed and took several long steps towards the carriage and shut the door quickly. His attacker now having fled, he returned to the young ladies.

“My cousin,” he said, nodding towards the carriage, by way of extended introduction. Sensing the scrutiny, Horatia set down the sugar and with as much composure as possible, rejoined them.

“I hear,” she said to the two young ladies, “that my cousin has employed yer services in another of his ‘risky ventures. . .’” she said.

[Cecily Hurston]

"Connel, actually." Cecily answered to the man's inquiry about her Aunt's last name. "She is my mother's maiden sister." just then, someone called out 'Henry', and the gentleman reacted. Cecily smiled. It appeared they had just learned part of the identity of the mysterious gentleman.

He escorted a woman across the street. Everson. So that was his name. Henry Everson. Cecily's smile grew wider. It was obvious the woman was intentionally trying to discomfit Mr. Everson.

Cecily curtsied at the invitation, murmuring a polite- "Ms. Lyons." the woman seemed rather upset at Everson, for she had afew choice words, then pointely rejoined their group.

At Horatia's remark, Cecily grinned playfully. "Oh no, Miss Lyons, he had full support and cooperation from us."

[Henry Everson]

"But," she said, "yer employed in his services? I was going to give ye the benefit of the dou' but, that being the case," she said, looking about the street mischievously, "it may not bear to have us conspiring upon the street in plain sight, nau. Miss Roskin and I, I think can ride well enough in a carriage to Miss Hurston's house. Now that we are acquainted." Here, she curtsied again prettily to Miss Roskin. "Henry?" she said, looking to her cousin for approval of this amendment, who frowned at the use of his name.

"I believe Miss Hurston to be prodigious fond of walking as I am." He looked with a smirk down at her skirts. "Is that not so?"

[Cecily Hurston]

Cecily smiled at Horatia. "Excellent idea. It wouldn't do for Miss Roskin to end up in the state as myself."

At Mr. Everson's comment, Cecily looked up at him. "But of course sir. And the more mud, the better." Having managed to pull it off with a straight face, she turned back to Horatia. "So I shall meet you at Longview then?"

[Ariana Castello-Roskin]

Ariana was absolutely delighted with what had just played before her eyes. The grand entry of Miss Horatia Lyon had been to the greatest benefit -- to Miss Hurston and Miss Roskin, that is. Mr. Everson, as she could now say with confidence, was left a bit more unfortunately.

"Miss Lyon, I am quite convinced that Miss Hurston and I have simply been forced into this dreadful winter for too long a season. We will take any chance at excitement we can find. And," she looked to the still mysterious "foreigner" that she had dubbed him to be, "Mr. Everson was just plotting to give us a fair amount of entertainment. I, at least, am very easily pulled into plots such as these." Miss Roskin stressed the name of Mr. Everson, enjoying the fact that she knew his name. Miss Lyon was quite a perfect person for giving it to the girls in such a way.

"As much as I enjoy walking," she continued, "I do believe that the carriage is the better choice in this situation. And, if you do not mind, Miss Lyon, you may come in to call on Mrs. Connel with me. Or is it to dreadful of me to pull you into this scheming while you kindly offer me the use of your carriage? I am much obliged to you."

[Horatia Lyon]

Miss Hurston stated, "Excellent idea. It wouldn't do for Miss Roskin to end up in the state as myself."

Horatia smiled and tapped the side of her nose. "Ah, but Miss Hurston, it would also not do fer Miss Roskin or I tae appear after y'had, for we'd not be there tae provide the distraction."

Turning to Miss Roskin, now, she said, "Ye'd not dare tae un-invite me from m'own carriage, would ye nau, Miss Roskin?" she said with a merry laugh. "I'd be glad to make yer acquaintance more and Miss Hurston's family; I am sure they are, despite all y'say, quite pleasant," she said with a pointed expression to Henry, signifying he might do well to cut some of the melodramatics, or it would appear he was already prejudiced.

Offering her arm to Miss Roskin, she moved toward the carriage and waved to Henry and Cecily. Once Luke had been told of the way, Horatia settled herself into the carriage. "Who we really ought tae make apologies to, Miss Roskin, is tae Miss Hurston, fer abiding my cousin's company the whole walk there. And in wet skirts! How very uncomfortable on both counts!" Her face softened as she added, "Ye must fergive me my speeches. I am quite fond of Mister Everson; it is, however, a relative's right tae tease. But Henry ought not t'have participated in the teasing of Mrs. Connel. That was Miss Hurston's right alone, I think." She frowned slightly as she mused.

[Henry Everson]

As the two ladies went their way in the carriage, Henry returned his attention to Miss Hurston. "Well," he said. "I would offer you my arm, but I fear it would be wholly indecent. Perhaps, then, you may lead the way, showing us the fleetest way to your home?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

[Cecily Hurston]

Cecily watched the other two ladies go, then turned to Mr. Everson as he spoke. Curtsying slightly, she nodded. "Yes sir. But..." she continued. "The quickest way is straight across country, where the carriage cannot follow. However, I don't think we could walk straight down the road..." these last words she said more to herself than to him, as if she were musing over the proper route.

Finally, she decided, and with a cheery smile, said- "I think I know. We can follow the road until we reach the turn, then I'd do better to set off across the woods for the house, so I can come in the back way. By that time, your cousin and Miss Roskin will have reached the door." she gave a satisfied smile, and turned to face the proper direction, waiting for him to join her.

[Henry Everson]

Henry held his hand out, indicating she should lead and he would follow. As the brisk wind ruffled his hair, he frowned, quickly repenting of this decision. He had not known what he was about.

Firstly, it required a young lady in wet clothes to go walking about in a chill air.

Secondly, once he arrived with Miss Hurston, he would somehow need to find an excuse to break from her and rejoin Horatia and Miss Roskin. He could not, of course, sneak in with Miss Hurston. Should they be caught, and Miss Hurston changing in the next room, a playful jaunt might quickly be taken as a tryst. Henry at this point was well aware that their meeting upon the street had been marked by someone and, in time, would out. The event was innocuous enough that an eventual detection would reveal not a malicious plan, but rather an amusement derived from boredom.

When Henry had to admit, this certainly was.

Well, it was haphazard and doomed to fail, but no harm done in it. No, if anything, perhaps some lesson could be gained from it. . .

He'd leave that to Horatia to figure out, however. He had not the head for sermonising at present.

However, the first situation he could remedy quite easily. Catching up apace with Cecily Hurston in two long strides, he asked, "Miss Hurston, are you quite cold?"

As he waited for a response, he considered the possibility of problem number two and decided it was to his advantage that he had in plain sight and hearing announced to Luke that the carriage was to go on with Horatia once she had finished her errands, for he was going to walk with Misses Hurston and Roskin. Well, that was near enough to the truth . . . Now how to manage a tactful entrance before the austere Aunt Connel?

[Cecily Hurston]

Cecily began to walk briskly towards Longview. She held her skirts partly away from her boots. Goodness, she hated wet skirts. They were horrid, utterly horrid. Oh why, oh why had she had to step in that mud?

She was so absorbed in these reflections that she hardly noticed that Mr. Everson was speaking to her. She glanced at him, and smiled slightly. "Oh no, I am quite alright. It isn't that cold."

[Henry Everson]

Whether her comment came from a heartened disposition to the cold--no doubt fostered through many English country winters--or a show of bravery, Henry was not entirely certain, but he suspected both, but primarily the latter.

Henry had not really expected her to decline the indirect offer of his coat and he found himself slightly off-put.

"Respectfully, Miss Hurston, I must disagree with you. It is uncommonly cold between the rain and the wind." He shook his head, repenting for a moment of having left Italy. Perhaps he would return soon enough. "Though I am glad to hear you say so. It means I get to keep my coat for it sounds like I need it more than you. Unless, of course," he said, sending a sidelong glance, "you are lying to me. Then I would be ungallant for denying a lady her needs. But I'm not sure if manners are meant to extend to deceitful young ladies, so it is just as well," he said, pulling the collar of his coat up to stave away the biting wind. He gave a lopsided smile. He looked about them. "Are we near to there, Miss Hurston?"

[Cecily Hurston]

Cecily glanced at him. He was keen, that was for sure. She pulled her cloak about her shoulders. "I assure you sir, I am not lying to you. I am quite alright." she said bluntly, her eyes flashing at the insinuation behind his words.

Looking pointedly ahead, she nodded at his question. "Yes, Longview is not far away now." with this, she abruptly veered off the road and set off across the damp grass and clinging snow, headed in the general direction of her home.