"I'm gratified you think so," Emrys said with a smile. "Particularly since you seem to be a young woman of such impeccable taste." True, he hadn't had much experience to base the comment on, but he didn't think it was far off base. She'd chosen excellent floral arrangements in their little letter exchange (although truthfully the fact that she was bold enough to send flowers to him when typical courting went the opposite direction might have been enough to pique his interest even if the flowers themselves had been horrid). Beyond that, though, she seemed to appreciate his tastes while he'd been giving her the tour of the house and the artwork, which was about as much of an indicator as one could expect from a debutante. Even if he'd visited her home, the decor would have been her mother's work, not her own. He had the impression that they were similarly inclined in that department, but really there was no way to know. Perhaps she was only being accommodating because she was flirting.
In any case, this was going well — at least as well as could be expected. Her family trusted him enough to allow her to visit with only minimal chaperone intervention, she seemed to be enjoying herself, and their conversation was flowing. There was no reason to stall and every reason to move forward with his true purpose here — but how to do it? When he'd asked to formally court Miss Fawley, he'd talked to her parents, and his tone had been similar to when he approached potential new business partners. He was going about this in an entirely different way, because he wanted to be sure that he had the girl on his side before overcoming the obstacle of formality. He was hardly a stranger to wooing women, but since the end goal here was different he was a bit at a loss. He couldn't exactly get Miss Cosgrove alone and steal a kiss and hope that would seal the deal.
(Well, he could, but that might get him into trouble with her family if it ever came out).
"It is a rather large house for a single man," he began, with a brief glance towards the chaperone to see whether she was in earshot or not — he would prefer to speak mostly for Miss Cosgrove's benefit for this next bit, and not for anyone else's. She was giving them a healthy lead, likely because he'd been so magnanimous in the parlor. "But that might be a problem easily solved."
In any case, this was going well — at least as well as could be expected. Her family trusted him enough to allow her to visit with only minimal chaperone intervention, she seemed to be enjoying herself, and their conversation was flowing. There was no reason to stall and every reason to move forward with his true purpose here — but how to do it? When he'd asked to formally court Miss Fawley, he'd talked to her parents, and his tone had been similar to when he approached potential new business partners. He was going about this in an entirely different way, because he wanted to be sure that he had the girl on his side before overcoming the obstacle of formality. He was hardly a stranger to wooing women, but since the end goal here was different he was a bit at a loss. He couldn't exactly get Miss Cosgrove alone and steal a kiss and hope that would seal the deal.
(Well, he could, but that might get him into trouble with her family if it ever came out).
"It is a rather large house for a single man," he began, with a brief glance towards the chaperone to see whether she was in earshot or not — he would prefer to speak mostly for Miss Cosgrove's benefit for this next bit, and not for anyone else's. She was giving them a healthy lead, likely because he'd been so magnanimous in the parlor. "But that might be a problem easily solved."
Lou made this! <3