Expecting needles more than niceties, Vincent smirked at the young lady’s response. He hadn’t been joking; not really. If Beryl Wixeldorf had taken him up, seriously, on his offer - Vincent would have been on his way to Gretna Green in a heartbeat. She was exactly the type of candidate he needed to propel himself, and his ambitions, into the upper echelons of society. As it was, she was not quite so easily caught, and he could only shrug at her rebuke. “Can’t blame me for trying,” he replied. “It’s what every man in that room is angling for, I simply had the audacity to offer.” The girl seemed more interested in playing games that he’d anticipated however, and she came back up the stairway only to march back over to the balcony door. Vincent’s gaze narrowed a bit, curious as to what she could be playing at as she muttered something to herself. Was their game to be over so quickly? He wasn’t disappointed in her per say, but he was irritated another excuse would need to be sought. It would seem, however, Ms. Wixeldorf had other plans as she turned on her heel a moment later only to make direct eye contact and waltz past him again. It took Vincent a fraction of a second to recognize the setup she’d just caught him in; one fraction of a second too long, it would seem.
She was forcing his hand. He was either to accompany her into the garden and hide from the chaperone like a naughty child, or be caught out here on the banister with the lady perfectly unchaperoned. Vincent’s face twisted into a grin. Clever, he thought to himself. That said, the gentleman had only one option available to him and he was not thrilled with the prospect.
Heels clicking closer to the balcony door, Vincent made a split second decision. Instead of beelining towards the stairs like the young lady evidently expected, he grabbed a hold of the railing and decided to put that ministry training to use. In one fluid movement the blonde launched himself over the side of the balcony, grasping a gentle hold only of one of the wisteria vines, and vanished in an unexpected flash. All that remained of the man was a heap of well-tailored, now loose tails that landed in the grass below. Luckily they had fallen just out of sight were someone to look out over the railing.
Vincent himself slithered down the side of the balcony, under the stone lip that hid him from view, and slunk towards the unsuspecting debutant. He debated, briefly, sliding under her dress and giving her a bite on the ankle for the trouble she’d caused, but decided ultimately that it would be juvenile. Instead, he waited for her to descend the stairs and stealthily slithered over onto her shoulders, wrapping himself around her collarbone like a necklace. Her skin was warm against his cool, black scales. He figured she wouldn’t be scared of snakes, but at least the threat of one around her skinny little neck was something.