A perfect answer for a woman of Ms. Blackwood’s statute, although he expected nothing less of her; Mama had mentioned the woman once or twice in passing before setting this tea up, dropping hints of how wonderful the woman was, as if he’d propose the moment he first saw her. “I would expect no less. I enjoy riding, but I cannot say I’ve ever trained or cared for a horse.” The staff did that for him, and if he were to ever have to do it, the care would be limited and clumsy. He did like to bet on them too, when the time came, although his luck for picking any sort of winning horse never seemed to be that grand. At least the Foxwoods had the money to lose.

Smiling against the teacup, Atticus watched her for another moment. This time her comment made him grin. Ms. Blackwood was certainly checking boxes to show how she would be a proper upper class wife, and he couldn’t help but slide his eyes to the side to look at his mother, who, for a split moment, seemed to smirk at him. It took every fiber in his being not to roll his eyes at her. She was being presumptuous and he knew she was going to talk his ear off as soon as they walked back through the front door, demanding answers to how right she was. “Sounds like you keep yourself very busy, Ms. Blackwood.” Atticus nodded as his eyes flicked back toward her.

Settling the teacup against the table, he pressed his lips together as the conversation came to him. How did he spend the majority of his day? Here and there, wandering and doing as he pleased while trying to keep the Foxwood name as prim and proper as he could - father had done well as the head of the household, and while Atticus had fumbled at first picking up where he left off, he had found his rhythm some years ago. Political, of course, but that was a boring conversation to enter. “Actually, I was thinking of becoming a sponsor for a quidditch team.” He didn’t say much more; he hadn’t looked into it too much, just in passing over a few drinks with a few friends. Mama asked if he was serious and they hadn’t even bothered to entertain Basil with the idea.

---