No, it was now clear he had no attention to attack her. He must have stumbled upon their fireplace by mistake, which might have made for an easy fix if not for the supply of floo powder that now coated their sitting room carpet. She would have trouble explaining that one.
Suddenly a wave of horror came over her. She would have to explain this—him. She had never been alone in the company of an unrelated gentleman, and it was only because of a visit her mother had paid to an old friend that moment that she found herself alone in the sitting room. If her brothers could see her now—if anyone could see her now—well... she'd be as good as ruined! Surely!
"My family's sitting room," she managed through the thickness beginning to set in the back of her throat. She could not cry, she could not panic. It would be most unbecoming of her in the presence of a gentleman, even if she would have given anything for him to disappear. She could press him to apparate out, but it would draw the attention of the servants (or worse, her sisters upstairs!). What option did she have then?
"You have to leave," she said, jumping into motion suddenly. She seized the candlestick from the floor, placed it on the table, and turned back at him, only to hear the sound of metal hitting the carpet once more. With knitted brows and a deep breath and grabbed it once more, this time taking great pains to ensure its uprightness. Then, finally, she looked back at him.
"The door. You need to go through the door." She nodded. Surely he understood.
Suddenly a wave of horror came over her. She would have to explain this—him. She had never been alone in the company of an unrelated gentleman, and it was only because of a visit her mother had paid to an old friend that moment that she found herself alone in the sitting room. If her brothers could see her now—if anyone could see her now—well... she'd be as good as ruined! Surely!
"My family's sitting room," she managed through the thickness beginning to set in the back of her throat. She could not cry, she could not panic. It would be most unbecoming of her in the presence of a gentleman, even if she would have given anything for him to disappear. She could press him to apparate out, but it would draw the attention of the servants (or worse, her sisters upstairs!). What option did she have then?
"You have to leave," she said, jumping into motion suddenly. She seized the candlestick from the floor, placed it on the table, and turned back at him, only to hear the sound of metal hitting the carpet once more. With knitted brows and a deep breath and grabbed it once more, this time taking great pains to ensure its uprightness. Then, finally, she looked back at him.
"The door. You need to go through the door." She nodded. Surely he understood.
