August 21st, 1891 — Random MC Garden Party

With the colder weather approaching, garden parties would soon come to an end for the most part. He supposed there would be those that went wild with enchantments that might still host one now and then. Not that he had a lot of free time to attend many events. Especially not when they were on workdays. This one had been hosted on a Saturday though and the invitation had come from a family he would enjoy having a closer friendship with.

There had been a tea and now guests were free to mingle among themselves and admire the garden. Roman had spotted a familiar face and went over to her with a smile. "Miss Montague. I can't say that I am surprised to find you at such an event," he said brightly. "How is your community garden coming along?" He had assisted with some of the legalities but once he had helped insure that the lots would be properly under the young ladys name, he had little else to do with things.

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@"Benevolence Montague"

  

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set by Bee

Benevolences dark blue summer dress was charmed to offer some sort of protection from the heat, but she had still paired it with a parosol to keep her fair skin shielded from the late summer sun.  It had been a warm morning, which had given way to a hot summers afternoon and the fairly relaxed atmosphere of the garden party had been a welcome relief after a week of rather stuffy balls. She had just finished a turned in the rose garden, catching up with an old year mate and had been heading in the direction of the refreshments tables when she spotted him.

Benevolence tried to control the flush she felt creeping up her neck when Mister Crouch approached.  It had been some months since she had seen him, and she could hardly deny that she had more than a passing interest in Mister Crouch.  She would deny that if asked of course, but she had realised at more than one social event that she had been looking for his face in the crowd, hoping to see him at whatever ball or garden party she had been attending. 

She laughed at his joke, the horticulturalist in her beaming that she was to be associated with fine gardens in his mind, 'It is going ver well sir, I believe the locals are using it to grow vegetables for community use which is a wonderful use of the space' she breezed back, glad of his direct question while she recovered her powers of conversation. 'It will perhaps never be as exotic or fine as this one, but those who enjoy it, are getting the use of it' she explained with no small amount of pride. 'My thanks again for your assistance, it was invaluable.'

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Dress

  

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Lady is a wonder

Miss Montague looked a little flushed and Roman hoped she wasn't coming down with something. It would be quite sad if she was. She looked fine otherwise though and he felt she might be embarrassed if he asked after her health.

"That sounds rather grand. Have you made use of any of the vegetables from it?" Not that he expected she have done the cooking herself but perhaps her cook had made her a fine soup. He couldn't help but be curious what her own garden must look like considering her occupation. "You're quite welcome. I'm glad that I was able to be of use. Is your own home garden anywhere as exotic as the one of our hosts?"

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set by Bee

The little committee which ran the alotments had been sending her little baskets of their produce all over the summer as thanks. They had indeed been very generous, and it had been incredibly touching. The allotments seemed to have been a huge success, she liked to take little walks through it when she thought it would be quiet and she could have a nosey without distrupting the hard work of the plot owners. Some of the older gentlemen felt it necessary to remove their caps and stand leaning on their spades or rakes until she left, her maid said it was because they didn't want to risk flashing their back cracks to a lady should thier trousers ride down as they worked:- 'builders bum' she called it. The phrase had caused her to laugh into her handkerchief when the two had been alone in the quiet sanctuary of her bedroom where ladies could be more candid with their maids. Of course she didn't say this to Mister Crouch.

'I should love the opportunity to show you' she said, in response to his question, perhaps a little too quickly. If she was being honest, she believed that her gardens were superior to those of their hosts, her orangery and greenhouse were definitely more impressive - and the prospect of an excuse to see Mister Crouch again certainly didn't hurt. Thinking quickly she added 'I'm having a few horticulturalists for dinner at the end of the month if you would care to join us?' she said, deciding that she would host a dinner to give her the excuse to offer the invitation. She was sure there were a few people she could scare up to form at least enough to justify the event.

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Lady is a wonder

"I would not mind that," Roman said when Miss Montague said she would love to show him her garden. He smiled as she invited him to a dinner that she was having with a few horticulturalists. He was most definitely not a horticulturalist. But it would be a good networking opportunity, perhaps and it provided him an easy chance to see Miss Montague again. "I would love to join you if my social calendar allows it."

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set by Bee

Nev adjusted her hair, a nervous habit since her school days that she employed when she was trying to mask her emotions, in this case it was her delight that he might be inclined to visit her home. 'I should very much like to see you...' she started but tripping on her own words, she corrected, 'that is, I should be delighted for you to join us.' she blushed brightly, and cleared her throat. 'I shall send a note when the date is set. she found herself unable to look at his face and instead she found herself looking down at her hands, worried that if she looked up at him she would see annoyance on his face at her blunder.

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Lady is a wonder

Roman did not notice her blunder so had to wonder why she was blushing. "That will suit me just fine. I ask that you do so a few days before the date as my schedule does tend to fill quickly." It was what came with the territory considering his position within the Ministry. She seemed to be feeling rather shy now and he supposed it was due to the fact he might possibly be seeing her very own gardens.

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set by Bee

Benevolence brightened considerably as he expressed interest in her dinner - and she resolved to make the final arrangements and send out the invitations as soon as she got home. Not that the event was entirely out of the blue, but the prospect of Mister Crouches attendance put paid to any further procrastination on her part. The dinner would happen sooner rather than later. If her parents had still lived, or if she had a better general acquaintance with his family it might have been possible to arrange those more intimate social occasions, like dinners or musical evenings but that was not the case. Reserved by nature and not of a flirtatious disposition she found it difficult to express to a gentleman her affections, sharing those most intimate parts of her life, her plants, her garden, her green house, were her language of affection, if not of love.

'You may count on it Mister Crouch' she beamed

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wrap?

  

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Lady is a wonder