Haven't we met
You're some kind of beautiful stranger
You could be good for me
I've had the taste for danger

If I'm smart then I'll run away
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay
Heaven forbid
I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger

14th February, 1888 — Beamish House
August Echelon-Arnost

Once the Christmas tidings had been well and truly swept away for another year and they had toasted Auld Lang Syne again there was a distinct lull in the social calendar that Minnie always found quite a challenge. She was a social creature by nature and being so long removed from society left her feeling more deflated than she could have ever anticipated: if, five years ago, she had known quite how much she would one day long for the acceptance of society then she would have been appalled but in the years since she had left school being part of it all had become a burden rather than a curse.

In the quieter months though she was forced to amuse herself entirely with evenings spent conversing with her mother and father about the state of the Ministry or reading with her brother. Neither past time was abhorrent, but Minnie couldn’t help but feel that they were wasted hours. Of course there was Emma to keep her entertained and Minnie could not possibly imagine a better sister, but each and every time she was surrounded by Emma and her darling children she was reminded of what she had yet to achieve.

She wanted something to call her own. Positively longed for it and she had hope that once the season began anew this year might just be the one. Unfortunately the official beginning of the season was a long way off yet but luckily Mr Beamish had saved them all from boredom with his Valentine’s party and to be back in the hub of a warm room with the bustle of an enthusiastic crowd and dancing in her sights – well, it lifted her heart!

She was even introduced to a handsome man by a grinning Cupid, who departed moments after he had said their names and she smiled impishly at the man before her as she lifted her champagne glass to her lips. Mr Echelon-Arnost was no stranger, even if he had always been a rather distant figure, but the bubbles made her bold.

“Do you think it would be impolite to tell him we are already acquainted?”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

August was not fond of Valentine's Day, inasmuch as he was not fond of any holiday that allowed his mother to drop hints about his disappointing singleness, which was every holiday. But he was fond of Mr. Beamish, so if he was going to go to any party for this holiday - which he had to if he wanted to keep his mother off his back - he was going to be at this one.

He had been filled with nervous foreboding at the sight of a Cupid approaching, a feeling that was replaced with stark relief when he saw the girl accompanying it. "Miss Pendergast," August said cheerfully, raising his champagne glass to her, "Even if it wouldn't, if we told him that he might try to introduce us to other, different people."

"And I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd enjoy that," he added.

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   Minnie Macmillan

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set by Bree

Smiling brightly at the compliment Minnie took a sip of her own glass to cover the momentary flush of nerves that came over her. It would be ridiculous to pretend Mr Echelon-Arnost was not a handsome man and he had always been rather enigmatic, existing entirely as Hannah’s cousin who always seemed far too interesting and sophisticated for her to entertain for long.

Sam had once joked – though she had chosen to rise above it – that she would probably do no better than a second son but Mr Echelon-Arnost was a fourth son and any young lady would be quite lucky to be in his good opinion. Not that she could ever explain that to Sam, whose jokes were increasingly cruel and at her expense, but it was comforting nonetheless.

“You flatter me,” she said with a twitching smile, eyes glancing towards the rest of the party. “There are some fine young ladies here tonight.” She turned her gaze back towards him with a secretive smile and leaned her head in ever-so-slightly. “But I suspect they may be here entirely in the pursuit of love.”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

"And you're not?" August asked Miss Pendergast, before he could catch himself. His eyes crinkled up at the corners.

It was a wildly innappropriate question to ask of a debutante, who was by definition looking for marriage. It was kind of their thing. But it was also a relief to be talking to a girl who probably - probably! - was not swiftly trying to figure out how much money he had.

"If you're not, I won't tell, don't worry," he said, "Because I'm not, either."

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set by Bree

It was quite a blunt statement and not the sort that Minnie was used to hearing but she found it curiously liberating to be around somebody who was actually being honest without sugar-coating the words for her. Even Emma seemed to think twice about what she was saying around her sometimes and Minnie had never even thought to find it frustrating before.

“I really don’t know most of the time,” she replied with candour, brow furrowing minutely for a moment as she sipped her drink. “I suppose I ought to be concerned with making a good match but such a thing is unlikely to be born of love, which everybody assures me is not sensible,” her lips turned up into a rueful smile at her own expense. “But I confess I know little of either.”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

"Ah," August said, "There's something a bit overrated about sense and sensibility, is there not?"

He probably should not be encouraging her to become a lonely spinster and die eaten by cats. He in fact definitely should not be encouraging her to do this.

"I wouldn't take my advice," August added, "I'm not exactly a demonstration of good marriage myself."

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set by Bree

“You have plenty of time,” Minnie replied grinning, perhaps with more candour than she would normally allow herself, but she doubted he would mind. So far he had been honest with her so it seemed to be acceptable; and it wasn’t as though she was lying – he could wait another ten years or more and still be a catch whereas she was rapidly being whispered about.

“Society doesn’t mind a ward,” though Emma didn’t call the boy that, Minnie was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. “They do mind a debutante with too many seasons behind her.”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

She was right, was the thing, and August's smile turned somewhat bashful. "You're right, of course, Miss Pendergast, but that doesn't mean that society's right," he said, "After all - who's to say that every debutante can find someone who would please them in a lifelong marriage in a first season?"

Shit, was he hitting on her? He was totally hitting on her. August's cheeks turned a faint pink color.

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   Ophelia Devine

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set by Bree

The slight blush was lost on Minnie, distracted as she was by trying to control her own because, well, there was no getting around the fact that Mr Echelon-Arnost was a very handsome man who was showing little interest in talking to anybody but her. She was only human after all.

“True, but is finding love really the same as finding happiness?” It was a conundrum she had pondered before, though only recently, now that she was seeing some of the matches her peers were making out of obligation and the rose-tinted glasses off youth had well and truly come off. “Plenty of people I know seem content and yet I’m told love is a rare and precious thing – how can it be that everybody is lucky enough to find it?”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

August was very well-acquainted with the fact that love was not the same as happiness, and subconsciously picked at his cuff-links. "There is, I suppose, something to say for companionable unions," he admitted, "Which I believe many people enter in the hopes that love will - blossom, sooner or later."

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set by Bree

Her aunt had said almost exactly as much – albeit in a much more evasive way – and Minnie was glad that all was not lost in the pursuit of some kind of happiness. Maybe she would never know the sort of love that struck the heart like lightening, but perhaps she could find another kind, more akin to thunder that rumbled steadily, becoming stronger.

“That seems so much more sensible,” she grinned around at the decorations again. “Without the benefit of Cupid we just have to find our own loves don’t we?”

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point

If it weren't for his cane, August likely would have asked her to dance. Instead, he tapped his index finger against the handle of the cane and grinned back at her. "I suppose you're right, Miss Pendergast," he said, "As much as that sounds like a great deal of work!"

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set by Bree

Minnie might not have had the social graces her sister did – or at least that she perceived Emma to have! – but even she was not silly enough to feel slighted that he had not taken the logical step of asking her to dance. It was enough that he thought her worthy of his conversation: so many men thought her worth little more than a few minutes of their time.

“Well, I’ve never been opposed to hard work,” she replied with a matching grin, letting a silence fall over them as she sipped her drink, pleased to have made an ally in society.

  

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no, really MJ is just showing off at this point