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Violetta DeCroix · July 29, 2024 – 2:34 PM

July 28th, 1894 - DeCroix Townhouse, London

Violetta fanned herself as she walked through the garden of her family home in London, she hummed a French song to herself as she admired several large flowers that had opened themselves to enjoy the sunshine. She herself wore a pretty light pink summer dress what was low on the shoulders to allow her to feel the sun on her skin and hung down to just above her knees. She fiddled with the bow in her chest before turning to walk down the garden.

"bonjour les petits oiseaux." she said sweetly to a pair of birds that were flitting around the cast iron bird feeder that her maman had installed the week before. The little birds seemed to love the nuts and had come visiting every day since.

The rest of the garden was delightfully manicured in the French fashion, Violetta loved it out here, it wasn't Marseille, but when the sun shone she could for a moment forget that she was in this horribly built up city of London. If only it wasn't for the tall walls that ringed the garden, she might even have been able to believe she was in the countryside. As she continued walking towards the iron gate that led out onto the rear access her feet crunched on the ground where the paved path was replaced by gravelled steps and she dropped down onto the lower tier of the garden where there was a little pond and a bench from which she could enjoy it.

Victor Frey

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*Victor Frey* · July 29, 2024 – 4:46 PM

A month had passed since the Titiana Bloom and Victor had been here and there in London and magical Britain. This morning he walked briskly and aimlessly through the finer part of the city, that also contained the Freys' townhouse. The young gentleman had big green eyes that often looked about in an unfocused manner, like he was struggling to wake up from a dream. He found himself taking a few strange turns until he stood at the high walls that surrounded the gardens of a different grand house than intended. It belonged to the DeCroix family.

Victor Frey had not forgotten the events of the afternoon at the flower exhibition. He even told his valet about them:
“My heart was pounding. I was gazing up at her and my face was flushed with heat. Am I in love?” he had asked.
“It might have been the plant poisoning,” his valet had responded in a guarded manner. Victor was not in the habit of paying him much mind.

Now he approached the iron gate that led to the gardens. Peering through the gap between the doors, he saw the girl. She was meandering around the gardens in a pink sundress. She was alone.
Excitedly, he looked up at the door. It was tall, but he was tall.
Victor jumped, grabbed the upper edge of the gate, and scrambled upwards until his head peered over the top, making some noise in the process.
“Miss DeCroix! Over here!” he called out. His head above the gate showed a wide smile, his eyes glinting mischievously. He flung one arm over to steady himself.
“Did you get the flowers I sent you?”

Violetta DeCroix

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[Image: tumblr_prevmr6QGG1rbb9x4o1_540.gifv]

Violetta DeCroix · July 30, 2024 – 1:58 PM

Violetta was lost in her own world, stood watching the fish in their pond and listening to the trickle of water that had been enchanted to trickle into the pond.

She had to do a double take when she first heard the voice over the gate, she was not expecting anyone and it caught her entirely off guard. It was Mr Frey, with his head poking above her gate like some kind of medieval gargoyle. She raised her eyes and gave a very perplexed look at the man. She had enjoyed the short amount of company they had shared at the Titania bloom event, and had thought about him several times since then, she wasn't entirely sure why he was on her mind. But there was no harm in a little teenage daydreaming about boys.

"Monsieur, it is traditional that guests call at the front door." she answered, with her voice a tone of humour and questioning his actions. "And oui, they were very beautiful, Maman was quite envious. But you needn't have sent such a gift." she blushed. In her mind it was a gift of thanks for being there when he was feeling unwell, it seemed a little much for her, but she enjoyed it nonetheless, and her father had been forced to buy her Maman a similar bouquet which had filled the house with the most lovely floral aroma.

She moved to the gate, glancing behind her at the house, "I don't have the key on me, Monsieur, but I will permit you to enter via an unlocking charm. Please ensure there are no muggles in the alleyway." or he could offer to wall round to the front of the house like a normal person, but Violetta would not force the issue.

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*Victor Frey* · August 1, 2024 – 8:32 AM

“We are young, Miss DeCroix. Let’s exercise our right to exchange the traditional for the daring!”
Victor let go of the door and landed on the cobblestone road, looking around to assure himself no one was watching.
“All clear, no muggles in sight.”

As soon as she opened the gate, he slipped through. It was with no small measure of satisfaction in himself that the young gentleman found his way inside the walled gardens. He dusted off his light linen suit and looked around the rose bushes, hedges, and topiaries.
“As fine a garden as I ever saw,” he said decidedly. His gaze wandered up to the house and took measure of the many windows and balconies.
Then he turned to the girl and bowed, to not let go of all manners his good breeding and upbringing had strained to imprint upon his character.
“Miss DeCroix, what a delightful surprise to see you out here today. Just as I happened to walk by I thought I heard your voice.”
He looked up into her eyes and smiled.
“You look enchanting.”

There was a bench by the pond, facing away from the house and surrounded by rose bushes.
“What a beautiful spot!” Victor declared.
With a few strides, he was there and sat down.
“Most welcome after walking all morning. Let us sit,” he invited her.
“How have you been, Miss? I meant to call on you to thank you, but I feared being denied.”

Violetta DeCroix

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Violetta DeCroix · August 1, 2024 – 9:55 PM

Violetta giggled and then let the man in, she had forgotten how tall he was and she smiled as he walked past and she quickly closed the gate behind him. What was she doing? It was OK, she wasn't out, she was already betrothed, he was in the same class as her, she was allowed to have friends like anyone else. She did mental gymnastics to tell herself that she wouldn't get in trouble for allowing an unannounced gentleman caller onto the property.

She did a small courtesy at the complement to her family home, the dress was a little more, "summery" than she would normally wear in public, with its bardot neckline and it's slightly shorter cut on the leg, but it she would be fine. What she was less fine about was her reduced makeup betraying the blush on he face when he complemented her beauty, or the little involuntary noise she made with the unprecedented level of attention she was getting.

She say next to him with her knees together turned slightly towards him, back straight and hands in her lap every inch the lady, a pose practiced for greeting company. "I am certain Papa would not have turned you away, Maman on the other hand." she smirked and shrugged, quickly glancing back at the house wondering if she was being watched. "Shall I summon us a maid with some lemonade Monsieur? It is awfully warm this afternoon." she said making small talk, finding it unusually hard to meet his gaze. She cursed herself for acting like some daft teenager, before looking in his eyes with regained composure. "Do you take this fortuitous route behind my home often?" she asked with curiosity.

Victor Frey

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*Victor Frey* · August 2, 2024 – 1:03 PM

The young Mr. Frey, with an air of studied nonchalance, cast his gaze about the grounds of the manor. It was a happy circumstance that the bench on which he sat with fair Miss DeCroix just happened to have quite dense shrubbery around it, namely a hedge of rose-looking blooms.

They smelled flowery and had the added advantage of obscuring their position from view from at least most of the house's windows.
Not the least hiding his arrival from the hawkish eyes of that French maman, or so he hoped.

Victor smiled at Miss DeCroix and permitted himself to gaze into her eyes for a moment. This proximity caused a sort of giddiness in him, but as a gentleman, it was up to him to conceal it and act the worldly man that he surely was.
“Oh, your maman would chase me off the property with a broomstick like I were a cur from the gutters!” he replied and laughed.
“Shoo, be'gone you wr'etched h'ound,” he incompetently imitated Mrs. DeCroix's French accent. “Away from the precious violet in my gardens,” he added in his normal inflection.
“Or something to that effect, would you not agree?”

He stretched out his long legs and turned his pale countenance up to the sun, closing his eyes for just a moment.
“Oh, I thank you for your kind offer. I am not in need of any thing, right this moment,” he declined the proffered lemonade with genteel civility.

The question regarding his habit of walking by the house he feigned to forget to answer, since he did not know what to say. He scarcely knew how it had come about that he was here today. His inner navigator appeared to have decided so and dictated the course.

Violetta DeCroix

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Violetta DeCroix · August 3, 2024 – 8:48 PM

The young blonde could not help but be brought to laughter again by her gentleman caller. "My Maman is quite the defender of her home Monsieur, I feel you may be correct.". She gave a little wagging gesture with one of her manicured figures before returning to her polite position.

The refusal of the lemonade caught her strangely off guard, she was practiced at entertaining, but it was only practice after all and the slightest deviation from script was enough for her to have a second guess on the next step. But she nodded and did not call for the maid, perhaps she should have anyway, but the call of rebellion that every teen felt, regardless of there propriety, prevented her from doing so.

She noted that he didn't answer her question about his passing her home but she wouldn't delve further. She briefly looked uncomfortable and inwardly cursed herself "My apologies Monsieur, I failing in my duties as a host, I have not had many personal callers before." she had told him she wasn't out, and admitting her inexperience seemed to be the better thing to do. What did he intend? Could she ask that? He had flattered her with her with compliments and this felt a little like one of the romances in her stories, but it couldn't be that, a it just wouldn't be proper.

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*Victor Frey* · August 5, 2024 – 11:01 AM

Victor Frey found himself delighted by the girls laughter once again.
"Indeed," he replied with a smile. "Such is the nature of all mamans."
A silence then fell between them, stretching beyond the bounds of propriety. When Miss DeCroix endeavoured to fill it with a remark about her unfamiliarity with callers, Victor recalled his attention to the present moment. He had been dreaming, it seemed.

What was he doing here?

"Considering that you have not yet been presented to society," he began, "I cannot help but wonder what plans your parents might entertain for your future."
He idly bent to pluck a solitary flower that had taken root in the lawn.
"Only think," he continued, with a hint of wistfulness, "were you to have made your debut, we might meet at a ball and share a dance. Dancing at balls is grand fun, you will discover soon enough."

Turning his countenance once more to the girl, Victor observed the very studied posture she had adopted.
"I hope you will forgive the liberty," he said, "but might I inquire as to your age, Miss DeCroix?"

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Violetta DeCroix · August 5, 2024 – 3:05 PM

Violetta knew what her parents plans were for the future, she knew she was to be wed to an as yet unnamed French gentleman of the upper classes, but some little part of her decided to withhold that little bit of information and allow the query to go unanswered. It was out of character for her, she was usually so content that she had this wonderful future planned, but her teenage self was driving her carriage right now.

"A ball sounds lovely, I bet you are a dancer par excellence. My Governess tells me that my own step is coming along quite well."

Then a direct question, one that almost stopped her racing heart, she had told him that already hadn't she, at the very least she had told him she was in school? She blushed a little more again and her hands tugged gently on the hem line of her summery dress. "I am soon to turn sixteen Monsieur." she smiled innocently hoping to gauge his response, her words were chosen carefully, nearly sixteen just sounded better than fifteen and a half. "I am very mature Monsieur and well versed in proper etiquette. " She hoped she could at least persuade him of that.

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*Victor Frey* · August 5, 2024 – 4:20 PM

The flower that was being turned back and forth between Mr. Frey's long fingers fell to the ground.
“Fifteen?” He looked up at her in disbelief. “I thought you to be a seventh grader! Merlin above, your maman is right about me, I am a dog.”
Someone seemed to have deflated Victor. All the air of excitement exited his person.
“That means it might be one or two years at least until you are introduced, might it not?” he asked unhappily.

How could he have erred so decisively? Remembering names and faces, judging age - why was it he seemed so much worse at this than he ought to be? She looked perfectly womanly, not like just out the drawstrings. Granted, she was a tiny sweet thing, but most women appeared as tiny things to him. It was puzzling.

Suddenly the possibility appeared to him that he might be hurting her feelings. He directed his gaze towards her countenance and tried to decode if that was the case, narrowing his green eyes in a show of intense concentration.
“Please, do not be upset. Do not let me disturb your lovely bright spirit. This was my fault. I just thought…”
That I might have a chance, if not right now, then very soon. He left the last part unspoken, but it was in the air.

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Violetta DeCroix · August 6, 2024 – 8:47 PM

Violetta felt her heart flutter as her confession was processed and taken quite clearly as a problem for the older man. She shook her head gently and placed her hand on top of his in the way she had at the flower show.

"Mon cher Monsieur, I am not upset." this was something of a lie, but she was a lady, and would behave as such. "I am quite flattered that I can be mistaken for a seventh year so easily, but oui, it will be a little while until I would be presented." she gently stroked her finger on his hand before realising herself and withdrawing politely. She supposed she should just tell him her parents plans, he would find out eventually either way.

"As to my parent's plans, they have selected a husband for me that I shall wed when I come of age, but I have never met him." she gave an adorably innocent shrug and smiled at the handsome man playfully before placing her hands back into her lap and looking at the flowers. "I shall have a garden like this one day, non?" she could almost picture herself as an adult tending the flowers like her mother did, she redirected her eyes back up to the house and pictured a handsome husband surrounded by beautiful children. The man she imagined looking down at his wife looked remarkably like Mr. Frey all of a sudden and a sensation she was unfamiliar with crossed her mind. "Zut alor, Violetta" she barely breathed to herself in confusion.

She turned back to Victor and smiled. "I suppose we should bid each other au revoir, but I hope not adieu?" she did find him pleasant and even if nothing else an friendship if propriety might be enjoyable. She knew deep down that they would likely not be allowed either, but a girl could play pretend.

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*Victor Frey* · August 10, 2024 – 2:52 PM

When Miss Violetta placed her small hand on his, Mr. Victor Frey glanced down at it and then cast his gaze up to her. A deepening confusion was visible in the crease of his forehead, a growing trepidation regarding his own feelings.
“And this supposed husband, you do not even know him?”
He scarcely concealed that these plans seemed not very agreeable to him, quite the opposite.
“I think young ladies ought to have a look around society for which suitors come calling at their door, especially ones so lovely as you, Miss Violetta. How could your parents possibly know to have made the best choice?”

Victor sighed unhappily. His legs, which he had stretched out before in a relaxed manner, now felt tense, he was upright.
It seemed to gear up in him, the going away from here.
The young gentleman stood and said:
“I bid you farewell.”

He bowed deeply and approached the garden door over which he had first called for her. Then he stopped, turned around, and took her hand in his.
“Miss DeCroix, it may not be right of me to say this, but if you find this man you shall wed disagreeable, do let me know. I shall save you.”
How, he had no idea. The plan would come to him in time, probably.
“Well, if I am not married myself until then, but I do not suppose so, I am young.”

Victor let go of her hand, then bid her goodbye and escaped the garden he had entered so daringly.
As aimlessly as he had come here, he wandered off.

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Violetta DeCroix · August 17, 2024 – 6:53 AM

Violetta was a little disappointed to see the handsome man's reaction to her revelation. She was wrong to feel that way of course but she could not help it. She only smiled innocently his inquiry as to the suitability of her parent's choice. Perhaps she would miss out on getting to debut with the others, but it was all a gamble, what if the wrong men came? Only bad men? No men? There were plenty of women left on the shelf every year. Violetta had always enjoyed the fact that come what may, she would marry into a well chosen family with deep connections to hers.

But she wouldn't argue the case here, it was not ladylike, nor would she get the oppurtunity as the gangly guest left her alone again in the garden, her hand rested back gently on her inner knees and she grinned to herself. "Letty? qui était cet homme ?" came a small voice from behind her that made her jump.

"Oh, juste un livreur avec une mauvaise adresse. Nous n'avons pas besoin de déranger papa. tu veux du chocolat ?" she smiled at her little brother, snapping her head out of its dreamy state once again.

Victor Frey

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