March 21st, 1895 — Spring Equinox Ball

Keep me tongue-tied
If this lasts forever, I'll be just fine
He was invited to the same ball as Sisse, but it was important that Lester did not look like he was just looking for Sisse. He danced with another hospital junior healer, and then he talked with some of the other male junior healers about the weeks they'd all had. Now that he'd spent time networking, he walked with one of his hospital friends towards the drink table, which happened to be in Sisse's direction. It was serendipitous that the friend got spotted by a cousin, and broke away from Lester. He took a few more steps.

"Miss Thompsett," Lester said, as if this was the first time he'd seen her, as if he had not been incredibly aware of her location all evening. "Miss Thompsett, can I get you a drink?" he asked, because he could not say Miss Thompsett, I'd like to kiss you tonight, would you like to find a dark corner with me?

Sisse Thompsett

  

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set by Bee!

As the weeks and months had passed Sisse had promised herself that she would talk to Lester. What had been a kiss had become two kisses, which became three, which became stealing away whenever she could at the same events Lester was at just to be with him - usually kissing. When it was just the two of them it made sense without any words being needed, but some part of her was terrified that if she spoke to him, broke her silence, the past would repeat itself. It was irrational, but she was so happy that she remained quiet on the matter. Their letters and conversations continued much the same, but there was an air of something else to them. Secret brushes of hands and glances across the ballroom that had not been there before.

This evening she'd done her best to stay away from Lester, to direct her attention to what was supposed to be her true purpose at this ball. But she was aware of her friend (did that word even begin to explain what he was to her these days?) no matter where he was in the room. She lingered at the refreshment table after each set as if she could not catch her breathe, trying to provide him with an opportunity to sweep her away yet again, but had been unsuccessful as her dance card was entirely filled up.

"Mr. Hatchitt." Sisse turned to him with affected surprise, but inside her stomach fluttered maddeningly against her corset and she felt as if she could not catch her breathe. "How good to see you." She told him with a smile.

"That would be delightful, I've hardly caught my breathe since the last set." This held enough truth for the last dance had been rather vigorous. "I'm afraid I may not be up for the dance you penciled in this evening." She continued, even though he had not approached her. It wasn't the first time she'd used this excuse so he'd be able to whisk her away unnoticed from the crowd.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

He mirrored her polite smile, trying to look like he was pleased to see her but only the normal amount of pleased to see her.

"Another Viennese Waltz may be a bit much after the last one," Lester said. It was three or so dances away on the list, and hopefully represented the gap on her dance card. He ought to check, though — "That is the one I scheduled myself for, correct? I shan't hold it against you if we have to skip it." If it wasn't the gap, he'd keep saying future dances until she confirmed — and then he would plan when and where to wait to meet her. They would not be able to steal away for very long, but this was what they got.

  

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set by Bee!

"Quite." Sisse confirmed with a nod, although waltzes, as a rule, were not breathless in the least. In fact Sisse loved any form of a waltz, she would have particularly have loved to find herself in Lester's arms for one, but it was too much of a risk. She had found that her father and Matthew were not quite as fond of waltzes as she was - at least when she was the one participating in them. Her father liked to remind her just how scandalous they had been in his day as they rode in their carriage back home. Instead it was easier to sit out a waltz, to act as if she needed the retiring room, and instead of slipping into Lester's arms for a waltz, she'd slip into the shadows for a dance of a different kind.

Sisse took a sip of her lemonade, much too sweet, before replying as she held her wrist out to Lester so he could look at the dance card, "And this is why we are friends." The word friends sat wrong in her mouth, more sour than the lemonade itself, but it seemed prudent to remind anyone listening that Sisse numbered Lester among her friends from school, it raised less eyebrows to see them together when one remembered (or heard of) their shared past.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom