Poppy felt that familiar niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach; the feeling that warned her a scolding was potentially on the way. She tried her best to ignore it and instead dug around in her bag for something. She averted her gaze entirely from her cousin’s blue one and pulled out three carefully kept letters and one single cut out from the Lonely Hearts portion of Witch Weekly. Then, smoothing them even more so they were quite pristine, Poppy slid the articles between tea cups, saucers and scones to Atticus.

“I... I placed an advertisement in Witch Weekly on your behalf.” She announced. “There were quite a few responses, each of them excellent young ladies determined to meet you.” Here she risked a glance at her cousin’s face and hoped there wouldn’t be absolute fire in his eyes. She pressed onwards. “I met with two of them, and I think both ladies are wonderfully matched for your unique position and personality. Not to mention, I think I might even get along with them if you were to chose one for a wife.” Because that was the most important thing here, really.

Poppy paused, letting Atticus take in the clipping, the letters, and her statements. She’d only selected a few of the letters from each lady to include in the package: those that showed the most class and breeding. She knew Atticus would not simply accept her word for it, and so Poppy had thought ahead to bring these with her. It would both smooth the blow to be entirely transparent, and - hopefully - pique his interest enough in one of the two lovely ladies. Another silent heartbeat passed.

“Please don’t be vexed,” Poppy reiterated then, in a very soft, squeaky voice. “I only want you to be happy.”

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