Eloise bristled at his reminder of their circumstances. "I know, Julius." His unmarried sister, just the one for no one could consider the disgraced one as part of the marriage mart, had had as many opportunities as Rosalind to marry and had not. A fact that allowed for minimal familial warmth towards the girls at present.

"I will be taking my leave then." He was alive and well, they were going to continue waiting to be wed (if they would ever be wed that was) and there was nothing else to be said at present. "Please give my apologies to your staff for startling them." She added before turning to return to the floo.

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He should stop her. He should let her go.

These two diametrically opposed impulses hit Julius at once, his hand raised slightly in an aborted effort to grab her hand as she moved away from him. There was nothing else, the wizard knew, that could be said—not now. Words would not change the situation the pair found themselves in yet again: the goddess of timing, it seemed was still not beguiled by the likes of Julius and Eloise.

"You should come back," Julius spoke hastily before she could leave completely. "At a more reasonable hour, that is." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "The timing—well, we need not, must not, be strangers to one another, and I am certain Araminta would welcome feminine company that is not our mother."

@"Eloise Manwaring"

  

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— graphics by mj ♥ —

It was a peace offering if Eloise had ever heard one, one she didn't know whether to accept. She could come later and enjoy tea with his sister (and fill her head with romantic fantasies of eligible bachelors so that she might marry and leave) but any sort of resistance would be met with Eloise's still burning frustration. After all, it wasn't Araminta's fault her twin was the devil reincarnate. It wasn't Araminta's fault that her father had acted as deplorably as he had. There was so much scandal and none of it could be placed at the foot of the almost spinster.

And yet -

"Tomorrow, perhaps." Eloise allowed just as she made it to the floo. "I am dreadfully tired and am in desperate need of rest." The very same thing she'd forced him to do two nights ago - sleep and rest in her home. "I will send her an owl in the morning."

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"Perhaps the day after?" Julius countered, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "The weather. I should not wish you to travel until all is remedied."

Indeed, save for that it had afforded her some calm—and allowed him to see her—Julius would have preferred Eloise not have travelled here today.

@"Eloise Manwaring"

  

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— graphics by mj ♥ —

"The day after," Eloise agreed. Already, she was beginning to fear if the floo would function as it was meant to or if she'd be spat out in some random person's home. Though, the fear wasn't so strong that she thought to ask Julius if she might stay longer. "I will send a note to Araminta." She had backed into the floo now, the scooped powder cupped lightly in her hand. "Until then, Julius." She said before throwing the powder down and speaking her address.

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