So far the evening was going splendidly. Poppy had managed to politely greet and become acquainted with half the ton (the half that mattered, according to Georgiana), she’d opened the ball with Atticus sans interruptions, and her dance card had been full most of the evening! All in all, the brunette had few complaints. Well… her feet were sore in these too-new shoes her mother had insisted on swapping last minute, but otherwise she was perfectly pleased. As the dance she was enthralled in came to an end, Poppy allowed herself to be escorted off the dance floor by her partner and excused herself to find some refreshment. (The gentleman tried to stop her, but Poppy insisted. She needed a moment alone to breath.)Under the glittering, twinkling, exquisite displays her mother and helpers had put together, Poppy took full advantage of the respite. She was exhausted already and there were still many more dances to come. Poppy reached out to accept a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and caught her cousin moving to the dance floor a little belatedly as he practically ripped past her. Poppy turned around in a full circle only to watch him make his excuses to— oh no! Estelle Malfoy!
“Of course he’d make a poor impression on Ms. Malfoy!” the brunette muttered to herself, miserably. It was like he was trying to spite her efforts to set him up well! The last time Poppy had spoken to Estelle woman to woman, she’d spoken nothing but wonderful things about Atticus: how diligent, caring, and respectable he was, and how family and prestige could be counted upon. Why the gentleman had to go and practically undo all of her hard work, Poppy would never understand! (It had to have been Merlin, she thought sourly. There wasn't much else that distracted Atticus from his responsibilities. She still wasn’t sure what had possessed him to bring the little fluff with him at all!)
Moving through the crowd to find a better vantage point, Poppy watched her cousin with rapt attention. He had better not prove her a liar to Ms. Malfoy, else he’d never hear the end of it! “Atticus Foxwood, you’d better not trip over your own feet…” she mumbled grouchily to herself again. So distracted was Poppy in her spying that she didn’t realize she’d come right upon someone else until it was too late. Someone else who probably heard her. “Oh!” She intoned, quickly. “I beg your pardon.” A warm blush spread across her cheeks and Poppy offered the young woman a lopsided smile. There was no way the other didn’t know what she’d been focused upon. Well... this was awkward.
© Fox