July 4th, 1891, Evening — Angelica's Hogsmeade Residence

She had to stop fussing. She'd dismissed the human help hours ago, preferring the solitude provided by her house elves. While the few staff she maintained were above reproach, house elves didn't make note of her increasing unease. She'd had her second bath of the day, reconsidered her proposed clothing and hairstyle at least twice, and would be needing new carpets if she didn't stop pacing her rooms. She knew something was wrong, but the 'what' was driving her mad. She'd agreed to allow him his secrets, as idiotic as that was, but his change since was the true problem. Her rational mind was aware of the signs of imminent destruction, but the source of the issue eluded her. They were approaching some sort of threshold, she could feel it, but what lay on the other side was knotting something painful in her chest.

She heard the floo in the sitting room adjoining her bedroom, her impatience flashing to nerves in an instant. Squaring her shoulders, loathing that her first reaction was tinged with the new flurry of emotion she refused to examine, Angelica managed a smile but resisted the urge to go to him. She'd taken care to replicate her appearance the night they met, his latest gift the only addition, but the firey confidence was missing. Perhaps if she'd known that night what was ahead, she would have been more careful. It was a comforting thing to think, but she knew she wouldn't have changed a step that led her to the man stepping out of her fireplace.

Wetting her lips, she forced her hands to relax at her side, doing her best to relax, to scan him for some sort of sign. "Dearest. I hope I pass inspection the second time." Angel attempted flirtation, but she could hear the hesitation in it. Merlin, why couldn't she just be silent and go to him?

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