[Phillip Vaudrey (Amy)]

“The musical soirée!” Sir Phillip echoed pleasantly, having received an invitation only that morning. “I share your sentiments. And will you ladies be performing?” he continued, addressing all three. “Though in no position to do so myself, I hope to hear others with great enjoyment.” His mind wandered back to Little Hatherton, and it seemed for a moment that he might once again watch in admiration as his lovely wife made the harp sing with all the glory of the angels. “Hyacinth played, you know,” he added under his breath, and turned on the gravel path with a forward step.

“I am most obliged to you, ladies, for allowing me to walk with you. Indeed, you offer me the very best of company. I trust that you attended Almack’s last evening? I had planned to arrive in London in time to be present, but the country roads determined that it was not to be.” He chuckled quietly, picturing the scene. “Perhaps it will be to my advantage after all, not to be taken for a lumbering oaf on the ballroom floor. I may aspire to a more favorable first impression.”

[Katharine Steele (Liz)]

Kate shook her head at Sir Phillip's query. "I am afraid I have no musical talent, much to Lady Raulings' lament. My sister, however, Lady Julianne Grafton, will be favoring us with Mozart's Turkish Rondo." Kate thought about stating that she was quite good, which she was, but she didn't want people to think that she needed to talk her sister up.

Sir Phillip's next comment, however quietly said it was, distracted her sufficiently. She wondered if Hyacinth was a daughter or a wife. Judging by the fact that he was now in London alone, she would guess wife, and from his tone, she was dearly missed.

Kate felt a surge of sympathy for the man. At least when Carrington had died, she had had her anger to keep her grief more or less at bay. She could sense that Sir Phillip had no such protection. Still, he seemed to have healed enough to think of her fondly, but not let it send him into a depression.

She laughed at his observation, knowing all too well the troublesome temperaments of country roads. "And you have certainly made one," she said with a kind smile. "Tell me, Sir Phillip, from where to you hail?"

[Claudia Morton (Sara)]

"Even if you do not perform, Sir Phillip, and Lady Carrington, your presence will be a value to the evening," Claudia reminded them as they continued down the path. "I will be singing a Handel aria -- one from Hercules; are you familiar with the opera? -- but I have not performed in years! It is one of my favorite arias, however, so it will not be too difficult to learn again." She glanced at Jane, smiling. "Will you be delighting us with some music as well?"

After Sir Phillip broached the subject of Almack's, Claudia restrained a slight sigh. The subject was beginning to bore her, especially since she hadn't many good memories of the evening, but for their company's sake she continued on. "Oh, Almack's. Well, if you do not dance and are not with agreeable company, I find there is little fun to be had. But I enjoyed viewing the fashions on parade. Forgive me, Sir Phillip," she added as an aside. "I did not have the pleasure of dancing due to recovering from an ailment nearly gone, and spent the entire night watching. I am certain you would have had a lovely time -- it felt as though more people were there than could fit in Vauxhall..."

Claudia nodded in assent with Lady Carrington's question, wondering just the same. "Indeed, Sir Phillip -- did you have a long journey?"

[Phillip Vaudrey (Amy)]

Lady Worth’s assessment of Almack’s led Sir Phillip to some self-deprecating reflection; any young woman who consented to dance with him of an evening’s festivities must be either blind or desperate. A baronet amidst a sea of earls and viscounts seemed as lowly as a country parson at a council of bishops. The thought prompted a slight smirk. If, by a strange chance, he were to attract a lady’s attention, surely it would be because she fancied herself a nursemaid and a potential beneficiary of his will. A man in his mid-forties must certainly seem at death’s door! He was reminded, glancing at Lady Worth and Lady Carrington, just how young they were. Lovely, charming, accomplished, and—despite being emphatically not debutantes—very, very young.

“I am sorry to hear that you have been unwell, Lady Worth, but I trust you are on your way to a full recovery.” Then, in answer to their mutual question, he replied, “I reside in the north part of Shropshire, very near to Wales. Quite as foreign and wild a place as the depths of Africa, I believe, in the eyes of the London ton. I leave it to you, and to the wisdom of the estimable Dr. Johnson, whether Wales or Scotland is the more dreadful for civilized Christian visitors.” The crinkles at the corners of his eyes revealed that he spoke only in jest.

[Jane Middleton (Aida)]

"A great choice, dear Claudia! I am sure you will perform it wonderfully!" Jane smiled warmly at her dear friend, "I'm afraid my singing has never been very good! But I do plan to play a flute piece!"

Jane laughed softly at Sir Phillip's words. It was quite pleasant to see that after all these years - and all that he had had to endure - he was still in possession of such charm and had remained so amiable, unlike... well, Percival had never been particularly charm to begin with! But he was a very good man and that was enough.

"I have always been inclined to imagine Shropshire as a very beautiful county, Sir Phillip," she admitted, smiling amicably, "and now your description makes it sound quite exciting!" If the county's nature was indeed as wild as Sir Phillip described it, Jane assumed that it must be quite a romantically adventurous place... With the latter thought on her mind and while looking from Lady Carrington to the gentleman, it suddenly occurred to her how pleasant it would be if the two of them should decide to become better friends and perhaps even more. They had both suffered from misfortunes and were equally wise, so the match could be a well-made one. She wondered if there was even the slightest possibility they might think the same...

[Phillip Vaudrey (Amy)]

“Oh yes,” returned Phillip, straight-faced, “There is never an end to the excitement. By night I have seen raiders cross the border covered in woad, bent on the distruction of English hens.” He looked at Lady Jane innocently for a moment, but then could not restrain the smile that broke forth sunnily on his face. More seriously, he continued. “I am sure that there is pleasure and stimulation enough to be had in Shropshire, if one seeks it out. But my estate is small and calm, and one is prey to one’s thoughts.”

Sir Phillip’s present thoughts tended another direction. He had just recalled where he had heard the name Carrington: it had been in an obituary column. It struck him that there was some sort of scandal surrounding the death, but at the time he had been weighed down with a grief of his own, and paid it little attention. Now, upon meeting Lady Carrington, he wondered if she had recovered from the blow. Her face, though lovely, seemed a bit sunken, and her complexion was the palest of whites. Privately, he wished to ask her how she fared, how she bore it—but such a remark would be entirely inappropriate in this context.

[Katharine Steele (Liz)]

Kate wasn't particularly certain where Shropshire was, though Sir Phillip's clarification of its proximity to Wales helped in so far as she now knew it was in the west, so she was inclined to agree with his assessment of its foreign nature. Moreover, she wasn't certain she would like to live in such a solitary place. It was hard enough to be alone with her own thoughts in her own house with dozens of servants in the middle of London. Whenever she allowed herself to think back on her marriage, her grief at losing the love of her life was always tainted at the absolute fury she felt toward Carrington for leaving her the way he did and forcing her to try to pick up the pieces by herself.

Though she did not expect to wed this Season, for she could never steal her sister's Season like that, she did hope to remarry someday. One of the top qualities her future husband must have, she had decided, was an adherence to the bounds of propriety. She didn't expect to love him, for she'd already found and lost her true love, but she certainly hoped to admire him and to be respected enough by him for him not to stray. Kate had looked the other way once already, and she did not think she could do it again.

She smiled at Sir Phillip's small joke and a short, sharp exhalation of air indicated her amusement. "Truly, Sir Phillip, your estate sounds idyllic," Kate complimented. "If a little dangerous. I trust you shall not have such concerns here in London; our distractions are of a far less militant flavor."

[Phillip Vaudrey (Amy)]

“Less militant?” questioned Sir Phillip, raising one eyebrow. “Really? But I have been given to understand that, during the London season, it is often the English hens who pursue the warriors! It might even be called a dangerous place for young bachelors. Meaning no disrespect to the debutantes, of course, or to their chaperones; it is high time they had their turn.” He added with a laugh, “However, I am certain you are correct that I need not be concerned. I should pass a very safe spring here, I think.”

What did she think, he wondered? What did any woman think? He watched the ladies out of the corner of his eye, doubtful that they would drop any hints of an answer. In his day, Sir Phillip recalled, young ladies had found him attractive. His mother—not the most affectionate, nor the most tactful person—had often remarked that she had no idea why. And now? He felt like the same man, though his body occasionally (and his mirror always) saw fit to disagree.

[Jane Middleton (Aida)]

"Surely, Sir Phillip, that will not be the case!" Jane laughed softly, with a mildly protesting undertone, "in fact, my oracular powers tell me that you might have to anticipate a rather... belligerent season!" Or she could see to it that he would, now that she was almost certain she had discovered his reason for returning to London, though she had to ask him later on before making any move. In truth, Jane believed that helping Sir Phillip find a suitable spouse for himself would not be difficult at all. He may not be very young, but to some families that was an advantage. Besides, he was a titled gentleman, and one with a good reputation.

"Am I not right?" She addressed the other two ladies with the same lighthearted tone, though she was more interested in hearing Lady Carrington's answer, which could give her an idea about what she thought of Sir Phillip.

[Katharine Steele (Liz)]

As if sensing that Lady Jane was particularly interested in her response, Kate smile softly, the often practiced expression giving away nothing as to her true sentiments. It was a perfectly executed Society smile, and if her sister had seen it, she would have congratulated Kate most heartily. "I am certain Sir Phillip will have exactly the sort of Season he would wish," she said noncommittally. "I have found that people often do." She tucked a stray curl back into her bonnet before looking up, surprised at how far they had traveled. She wondered what the Season held for her, especially since she had no idea what sort of Season she wanted. She doubted she wanted the sort Julianne expected, all parties and shopping and callers and flowers. She wasn't certain she was quite ready to find a husband yet, nor was she ready for a dalliance. Perhaps she would follow Lady Jane's example and seek to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Surely that was the most logical choice. If only life was always logical.