Charles fought back a wince as his graceless sapling of a daughter clambered up onto his mother's lap like a primate. His mother seemed to appreciate it at least, but he thought his daughter ought to be more disciplined at whatever age she was now. There was no time to really ponder his parenting style or lack thereof at present, however.
Finally, his mother brought his visit to its purpose. He delicately sat down in a chair to the side of her as he tried to remember the exact way he had decided to broach the subject. He began on a slightly dishonest note. "I thought you both might benefit from seeing one another today." Not that it was an out and out lie, although it was enough of a lie that he couldn't leave it there for his mother to call him out on it. "There's also another matter..." Would it be worse if he asked his mother to take Althea for the foreseeable future, or worse if he asked her to take her for a night or two and then indefinitely failed to retrieve her? "I have an engagement tomorrow," Charles looked down at his hands and began idly plucking at a loose thread on his sleeve as he continued to speak, "That wedding everyone's talking about. Her nurse is no longer able to care for her and I was hoping she might be able to stay with you." That his mother was only to have the girl for a day or two was supposed to be implied but conveniently not stated. They were two separate statements, it wasn't really lying if his mother jumped to conclusions even if they were conclusions he'd purposely lead her to.
Finally, his mother brought his visit to its purpose. He delicately sat down in a chair to the side of her as he tried to remember the exact way he had decided to broach the subject. He began on a slightly dishonest note. "I thought you both might benefit from seeing one another today." Not that it was an out and out lie, although it was enough of a lie that he couldn't leave it there for his mother to call him out on it. "There's also another matter..." Would it be worse if he asked his mother to take Althea for the foreseeable future, or worse if he asked her to take her for a night or two and then indefinitely failed to retrieve her? "I have an engagement tomorrow," Charles looked down at his hands and began idly plucking at a loose thread on his sleeve as he continued to speak, "That wedding everyone's talking about. Her nurse is no longer able to care for her and I was hoping she might be able to stay with you." That his mother was only to have the girl for a day or two was supposed to be implied but conveniently not stated. They were two separate statements, it wasn't really lying if his mother jumped to conclusions even if they were conclusions he'd purposely lead her to.
