June 23rd, 1888 - London

The whole getting stuck in London thing had actually turned out quite nicely for Tuni. She'd been able to see and spend more time with Rufus than she would have ever thought possible. And though her father was certainly not happy with the turnout, he'd at least taken it well enough to get her set up in a quaint and respectable boarding house until she'd be able to return home. However, the freedom and independence she was getting a taste of was something she wasn't sure she'd be able to give up quite so easily. She'd returned to the museum the day after realizing she was stuck and spoke with the director about starting straight away. And... she had. Her maid had been with her that day because there was really no knowing what the director would have said but she'd eventually wandered off as Tuni had started working and learning the ropes. The following day, she'd had some assistance with getting dressed but had then ventured out on her own. It had felt strange, at first, but she'd quickly gotten used to it. Eventually leaving the boarding house on her own in the mornings and returning in the evenings simply became second nature.

Then she received an owl from February. She blushed when she realized she hadn't actually ever responded to her friend. But luckily, Febs was a smart girl and hadn't thought to panic and instead assumed good things. She'd been right, of course, but Tuni had been a bit surprised at the book that had accompanied the letter. She'd set it aside with a plan to read it when she got home from work and ended up doing just that when it became apparent she wouldn't be to see Rufus that evening. Febs hadn't been lying when she'd said the book got racy toward the end. Tuni had it finished by the next afternoon though with a blush certainly coloring her cheeks. A bold thought came to her mind but she quickly brushed it away. There was no way she could be so brazen with Rufus. He'd think she'd gone mad to suddenly suggest anything beyond the sweet kisses they shared from time to time. The thoughts were quickly pushed from her mind, however, as she settled for bed that evening. She went to bed with a small plan formed, regardless, to spend some extra time with the man.

When the morning of the twenty-third rolled around, she'd gotten ready much as she always did but told her maid not to worry about her getting home at the usual hour as she planned to surprise Rufus with some sweets from the little bakery she'd noticed in Diagon Alley. She'd gotten a questioning look from the other woman but had simply waved it off. She'd be just fine. It wasn't as if she would truly get into any trouble.

With a box of cookies and other sweet pastries tugged under her arm with Magdalena's scrawled across it in a fancy script, Tuni walked up to the bordering house she knew Rufus to be staying at with his teammate Tommy Tilcott. She'd had the chance to meet him and found him quite friendly and funny from the start, if not a bit odd. She walked up the stoop and knocked on the door, all smiles in a new dress she'd been allowed to get since she hadn't exactly gone to London with a valise of clothing.

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