Poppy couldn’t help but smile as Atticus gently held her around the waist. It wasn’t like they’d never danced before, or practiced this waltz a thousand times. She was used to his holding her, to his being the one to hold her. But tonight something felt different about it. It felt almost as if by Atticus holding her now, and opening this ball, anything that followed had the potential to be something so much more. He was the last barrier into the real world, the marriage market, and it both terrified and excited Poppy. She held onto him for dear life. The music started the steps came naturally. Poppy was an avid, graceful dancer; she learned quickly and didn’t tend to make mistakes with her diligence. (That said, focus was quite another thing.) This time however, her focus was entirely set upon the task at hand. She daren’t break eye contact with Atticus to look at the guests. She knew all of them were solely focused on her, taking her very measure. Instead, she gave her cousin the warmest, most genuine mile she could manage in responce to his comment. “You’ve always been there for me, as a brother,” she conceded, gently - earnestly. “Thank you for that.”
Poppy wasn’t sure if a simple ‘thank you’ made up for all the times Atticus had pulled her out of messes, or all the times he’d saved her from herself. She just knew in this moment, here and now, she could not be any more open and honest with him. He was the older brother she’d always wanted, and Basil too - despite his reluctance. She knew she’d be in good hands this upcoming season with Aunt Viola in London, and with Atticus by her side. Now all she needed was to survive this night and not make a muck of things. Then the real games began.
© Fox