’During the summer, she is the same age as your youngest Miss Finch’ he explained ’She is finishing her final year at school and then portkeying straight out.’ he smiled broadly as he spoke of his sister. Evelyn and Samuel were very close, and she was straining at the leash to be allowed to come to England for her debut. It seemed to have worked, following her graduation, she would have a quick party in New York and then come to London to live with Samuel and have her ‘proper’ debut there. Having Melody alongside her, all grace and poise would be an amazing help to her on her first year. After all, it had been during Melodys first season that he had found himself enchanted with her.

As dinner continued the conversation remained strained, there was little real talk, and none of it was compelling or engaging beyond a few words. He hoped desperately to speak alone with his wife to be but her father was a self righteous blow hard who seemed inclined to boast of the family’s fortunes even if Samuel wasn’t convinced of his wealth, and her mother didn’t leave her side, not even for a moment. Indeed her arm stayed hooked trough Melody’s elbow for most of the evening, and Samuel didn’t manage even a word to his wife to be that wasn’t overheard by his soon to be in-laws. As such, as soon as dinner was over, Samuel gave his fare wells to the family and excused himself, foregoing what would have been another tedious hour in Mister Finchs study listening to him boast.

As he sat in his carriage, the coachman spurring the horses to move faster through the quiet streets. Hoping desperately that he had not made a mistake.