[Oscar Moncrieff (Aida)]

Oscar spent most of the hours from noon till afternoon lying on a Louis XVI chaise longue, half day-dreaming, half sleeping, until he felt he had had enough rest, and since the visit to the Academy had not left him with a painful knee - miraculously enough - he decided to go out once more before confining himself to his apartment for the rest of the day. No one ever found a spouse by sitting at home and waiting... With a sigh, he removed himself from the chaise and made his way towards the nearest window without bothering to look for his necktie, which he had flung somewhere in a moment of carelessness. After observing the Hanover Square for a few moments, he seated himself behind his desk and wrote a note, before calling for his valet and asking him to deliver it to a certain address.

About an hour later, he was comfortably lodged in his open carriage as it took him to the house of a lady whom he had failed to call on for almost a year and yearned to see more than ever during these past few days. In truth, Oscar was not quite certain where this sentiment had come from, but he was sure the admirable lady would give him ample reasons for this sudden yearning once they met again. She had always been kind and gentle, graceful, charming, and a true friend... well, it seemed he already had found the answer to his doubts.

When the carriage came into a halt in front of Brixton House in Grosvener Square, Oscar dismounted while his driver spoke to the a footman of the house. He waited with a calm smile on his face for the Duchess to step out of the front door, and when she emerged from the relative darkness of the hall he witnessed that she had remained just as elegantly beautiful as their last encounter. He bowed: "Your Grace, I am very glad you have decided to accept my offer." Offering her his arm, he gestured towards the vehicle, "shall we?"

[Lilias Aldridge (Crystal-lee)]

When Lily had received Oscar's note, she had dressed at once and sent her reply with an almost giddy delight. It had been much too long since she had been in the Marquess' company and to say she missed his presence was quite the understatement. In a vast sea of young men and young women with idle minds and idle tongues - Lily was walking lost.

She longed to speak to Oscar about the many interests they shared in common, having found him completely enthralling the times they had been able to do so in the past.

Dressed in a pale lavender day dress, with a deeper violet wrap tucked neatly into the crooks of her elbows, Lilias stepped out to greet the gentleman who had occupied her thoughts.

"Lord Avening!" a radiant smile pulled at her features, illuminating her eyes, "I cannot begin to describe how very lovely it was to receive your invitation this afternoon!"

Lilias' slender fingers intertwined with one another at her midsection, dropping gently at the wrist by the pull from her silken reticule. Her crystalline eyes moved appreciatively over Oscar's features. She idly wondered if he had acquired any potential matches during Almack's ball. She had not heard anything from her sources, although it wasn't for lack of attempt on her part.

"Has it really been a whole year?"

[Oscar Moncrieff (Aida)]

"Regrettably so..." he replied, and stood still, watching her for a silent moment, before the neigh of one of the carriage's horses brought him back to himself. Smiling softly, Oscar helped Lilias ascend the vehicle and once they were seated, he continued: "at Avening Manor, often I recalled and reviewed our debates about Art. In my hours of loneliness these recollections proved to be great companions." Having said so, however, he suddenly felt rather uncomfortable for letting some of his most private memoirs escape the vault they should have remained confined in. Yet, resting his gaze on the vivid blue eyes of the lady sitting at his side, he saw a kindred soul and found himself at ease again.

"I am very curious to hear if you have found any new theories that you might desire to share with me?" The gentle curve of his lips raised a bit higher as he remembered the delight such exchanging of ideas used to bring.

"And to know how..." while speaking, his eyes momentarily fell upon her delicate hands, her long slender fingers among the folds of the lavender... He paused, looked straight ahead of him for a moment, then turned towards the Duchess, his smile a bit weakened, "I trust you have been well, your grace?"

((OOC: Crystal-lee, I've assumed they are sitting on the same side in the carriage. If you want me to change this, please let me know! ))

[Lilias Aldridge (Crystal-lee)]

Lilias turned the Marquess' words over in her mind, as she sat at his side in the carriage, her eyes focused just beyond the carriage window at the slowly passing structures.

"Theories? Oh my goodness yes..." Lilias admitted with a laugh rumbling the length of her throat. "Most notably, I have been able to see La Maja Desnuda in all of her glory when she was exhibited in Bath several months back. The painting was simply as gorgeous as reputation proceeded, but the clucking of the Dowager Duchess of Bristol-- "

Lily's swan white neck arched backwards as a feminine laugh trickled from her lips, "You would have thought her capable of combustion in that very instant that she saw it. Her face was a violent shade of red and her eyes practically dislodged from her head."

Lily's eyes widened and her lips pursed in distaste, to mimic the Duchess just as she'd seen her on that very day. Her resolve was quick to crumble as laughter returned and she leaned gently towards the Marquess. "I had so wished you there at my side. How very unfortunate I was to have been unsuccessful in my attempts."

Lilias noticed Lord Avening's distraction and she watched him silently, wondering what transpired behind his clever eyes and intriguing smile. Her eyes lowered briefly but returned to meet the Marquess' when the gentleman spoke, "I have been well, my Lord. And you? How have you spent this ever-stretching season? In the country I do hope."

[Oscar Moncrieff (Aida)]

Oscar laughed calmly - as he no longer laughed passionately - at Lilias' perfect imitating the distaste of one of their mutual acquaintances. He could clearly imagine the Duchess of Bristol's face while staring shockingly at the nude figure which was certainly far from what she saw whenever she looked in the mirror, if in fact she ever dared to do so. His eyes, which were lit with the delight driven from imagining such an image, were fixed on the present Duchess. How different she was from the likes of Lady Bristol. He had missed her laughter.

"We are expecting too much from the poor lady, I'm afraid," he spoke with a tinge of cynicism in his voice, "I suppose her..." pausing briefly, he rolled his eyes upward as if contemplating, "ilk should only be permitted to see La Maja Vestida." Moving his eyes back to the Duchess, he added: "according to Middle-Eastern philosophy absolute, naked, beauty is only understood by, and will be revealed to, those who have spent years in search of it," and smiled.

"I am pleased to know you are well," said Oscar, just as the carriage entered the Park. "I have been well, thank you. Though, hardly away from the country, but now I have returned to..." strangely enough he found himself quite unwilling to explain to her the reason behind his return, "have your grace been informed that Gwendolyn has received a marriage proposal?"

[Lilias Aldridge (Crystal-lee)]

Lilias smiled and couldn't keep the faint blush from her cheeks no matter how she detested that particular human reaction. It gave too much away. But he had quite put a philosophy that she wholeheartedly agreed with into a description that left the dalliances of her mind on display across the slopes of her cheekbones. She didn't say anything more on the matter, but nodded in agreeance and turned her eyes back towards the carriage window.

Lily spied the wide mouth of the park's entrance gate and she drank in the sights of the approaching gardens. To say Lily was a garden enthusiast was a severe understatement. Lily was in a committed love affair with the colors, fragrances and textures of all of nature's gifts. Would it be permissible to do so, she would abandon inside living in its entirety and live instead among the warblers and thrushes beneath the bows of blossoming trees and above the blades of plush grass.

"Oh, I had heard. I did send along my congratulations in a letter some months ago. She is to make a gentleman very happy, I am certain." Lily smiled bittersweetly. She couldn't help but miss the excitement she had once experienced as a young woman entering a happy marriage. It had all been so delicious, too overwhelming a feeling to describe to herself even in words.

When alone in Brixton Hall, throughout the stretching months of winter she would even allow herself to miss mattering to someone so completely. She missed being able to see that love in another's eyes and to know that she mattered very much to that person.

Schooling her features and covering the brief expression of melancholy that had crept upon her face, Lily smiled warmly, "And you... Lord Avening. Have you had any interest of your own this season?"

And there it was, it had been asked. Only Lily didn't realize that she was holding her breath as she awaited the answer.

[Oscar Moncrieff (Aida)]

Perhaps Oscar should have corrected his latter statement, which he admitted had been quite misleading, by informing the Duchess that Gwendolyn was yet to come up with an answer to the proposal; yet, as soon as she asked him if he had found an interest of his own, all thoughts regarding his younger sister drifted out of his mind, leaving him with an inexplicable disquietude. She must have heard, or easily guessed, the reason why he had returned to London. He did not understand why it was so difficult for him to speak to the Duchess about the same subject that he had discussed with a few other ladies last evening. Maybe he feared that she would not approve of his choices... but what choices?

"I assume my persistent absence from the society helps in revealing my intentions now that I have returned," smiling calmly, his gaze lingered upon her admirable features for a few moments, before he lowered his head and stared at his own hands which were resting on his cane. "I intend to acquire a spouse," he continued, "I have not yet been successful in my search, but I have merely begun looking." Raising his eyes to meet hers, he let them be fixated on her blue eyes for a while, before continuing: "when Gwendolyn received that proposal, it occurred to me that if she accepts I will be left completely alone." He paused briefly, then added in a rather cynical tone: "and... Lady Richford insists that it is time I should have an heir."

[Lilias Aldridge (Crystal-lee)]

Lily listened carefully, her pale fingers smoothing down the lap of her gown as she dipped her head in an affirmative nod, "Ah yes... the heir."

Although it was a well known fact that Lilias had never had children, it was a lesser known fact that she had at one time cherished the idea. She had even gone so far as to have the nursery redecorated at Brixton Hall in preparation quite soon after her marriage to the Duke.

But children never came for Lily and although she still hoped it would only be a matter of time, the plan never came to fruition. After the Duke's passing, she had closed the book on that chapter of her life and filed it away under dreams that would never be.

The nursery was left decorated at Brixton Hall, though Lily had not yet re-entered it. She never made a thing about this of course, but she feared what would happen to her if she stepped beyond the dark cherry door to the bright, pastel interior. She feared looking at the porcelain dolls upon the mantle with their eyes watching and waiting for life to occur within its walls.

Would the sense of loss be overwhelming or too difficult to handle? Or what was worse, would she feel nothing at all?

"You have much time, Lord Avening. You need not worry yourself with that yet. It will all come to you in good time."

Lily paused briefly, her eyes tracing the wooden frame of the carriage window before returning to meet Oscar's, "Besides - what's more, I am to have a weekend at Brixton Hall on the nineteenth of this month and I do hope to have many beautiful young ladies in attendance. Perhaps you shall find what you are looking for is just beneath your nose."

Lily smiled warmly, "Please promise me that you shall come."

[Oscar Moncrieff (Aida)]

Just beneath my nose, or... in front of my eyes... But no, he should not allow such thoughts pass his mind. The Duchess certainly had no interest in his person, or she would not have offered her help in finding him a bride. Besides, the very idea that they should... well, it was quite absurd, seeing as they both had serious duties that they should take into consideration. If only they were not bound by the ties of class and heritage, it would be a completely different matter, but now... now everything that he was forcing himself to believe sounded utterly wrong. Yet, the question remained: which was more important? Duty or Happiness?

"I cannot think of any other place where I would rather be," Oscar spoke with a joyous smile on his face, but an expression in his eyes completely different from his smile in the quality it bore. He could not bring himself to comment on her suggestion about beautiful ladies, and merely uttered a "thank you, your grace," and turned his head briefly towards the window, looking at the young couples outside with an absent-minded gaze.

He no longer believed that anyone was to blame in such situations. Rather, his sadness rooted in the fact that he did not know the consequences of the conflict between his intellect and emotions. Had he been a completely reasonable mean, he would have overruled any possibility of a relationship other than friendship between the Duchess and himself, but he did not like to think that he had become such an ugly creature.

Oscar turned his eyes towards Lilias. Had he always found her so beautiful? Or was it because of the new-found opportunity of a non-platonic relationship between the two of them that he had now begun to perceive the charming effect of the touch of a few stray beams of light on her golden eyelashes. But he must be going too far. She was beautiful indeed, but the odds was that she would not find him attractive. It was yet too soon to judge.

"I should speak to you about my ward!" he suddenly said, "I finally met her today and took her to the Academy. She is a most admirable young lady, not out yet, very modest and well-behaved nonetheless." It seemed that he did look for the Duchess' approval in a handful of matters, as he continued: "perhaps you should meet her sometime. I would like to know what you think of her and if there is anything that you believe I should do for her. I'm afraid I have been neglecting the poor child for too long."

[Lilias Aldridge (Crystal-lee)]

Lily visibly jumped at the sudden subject change, a surprised smile kissing her lips as her brows rose towards the golden sweep of hair framing her white skin.

Oscar's ability to shift from topic to topic as the needs arose was one of the qualities that Lilias admired most in him. She could almost count on his uncanny ability to sense when it was time and then with a gentle shove it was off on an entirely new tangent.

"Ah yes! Your ward! I do so look forward to meeting her."

Lily stole a glance at Oscar, her eyes traveling appreciatively over his handsome features and the delightful light hidden deep within the recesses of his gray eyes. The smile that graced his lips was a familiar one to Lily, though she had seen that smile transform over the years.

It delighted her to think of it and even once, while sitting in her study at Brixton Hall one dreary fall day, she had picked up a quill and written a letter to the Marquess edged on by merely thoughts of that very expression of his. She hadn't of course given that reason in the letter itself, but she would not forget what had made her think of it.

Lily found herself allowing a silence to stretch between them, drawing attention to the fact that she had been studying him rather obviously as she'd gotten lost in thought. Another frightful blush appeared at her cheeks and she cursed it silently, masking it vainly by reaching out and patting the back of the Marquess' hand with her own in a friendly gesture.

"You must bring her to Brixton Hall!"