This was a dizzying amount of information to be handed, given that she had only expected a name, and it took her a moment to catch up to everything he'd revealed. Mrs. Keene was not someone she knew personally, but she did think she knew of her, from having read about her in the paper. Not that she would ever mention that, even if pressed on her deathbed. Topaz prided herself on being well-informed, but she'd encountered too many people who presumed to know her after reading about her in the paper (or worse, Witch Weekly) to ever make a similar claim towards anyone else. The revelation of his sister's name didn't give her his name, though, which was what she'd really been after; she couldn't recall if she'd ever read Mrs. Keene's maiden name, because hadn't she been widowed once before?
And he had her at a disadvantage because he knew her name, or at least half of it. The way he said one of the younger Misses Urquarts was good; she could almost have believed, if relying on his tone alone for evidence, that he didn't care which one. But of course she knew better. She'd seen the way people looked at her in the aftermath of the attack, as though she were dangerous and unpredictable. No one was comfortable around her. Even Ruby hadn't been, at first. So Topaz knew this was a show of gallantry on his part, offered only because he had already presumed she was Ruby, but he wore it well. And if he didn't mind associating with her sisters (which he clearly didn't, if he already knew Delight), then that was enough to inspire a little goodwill towards him. He didn't have to feel comfortable around her — she wasn't here tonight.
"Most people might have said our hair or skin gave us away," she remarked with a small smile. She remembered enough of those kinds of comments from before her life had changed, and didn't imagine the rest of her siblings had ever stopped receiving them. "I believe you are the first to bring our similarity in noses to my attention. But yes, you are correct," she allowed. "Which means you have me at a disadvantage, as I am not acquainted with your sister."
And he had her at a disadvantage because he knew her name, or at least half of it. The way he said one of the younger Misses Urquarts was good; she could almost have believed, if relying on his tone alone for evidence, that he didn't care which one. But of course she knew better. She'd seen the way people looked at her in the aftermath of the attack, as though she were dangerous and unpredictable. No one was comfortable around her. Even Ruby hadn't been, at first. So Topaz knew this was a show of gallantry on his part, offered only because he had already presumed she was Ruby, but he wore it well. And if he didn't mind associating with her sisters (which he clearly didn't, if he already knew Delight), then that was enough to inspire a little goodwill towards him. He didn't have to feel comfortable around her — she wasn't here tonight.
"Most people might have said our hair or skin gave us away," she remarked with a small smile. She remembered enough of those kinds of comments from before her life had changed, and didn't imagine the rest of her siblings had ever stopped receiving them. "I believe you are the first to bring our similarity in noses to my attention. But yes, you are correct," she allowed. "Which means you have me at a disadvantage, as I am not acquainted with your sister."
pinned my hopes to the summit of someday
Magnolia