[Julianne Grafton (Liz)]

Following Captain Sterne and Mrs. Clare's performances, Julianne, Kate, and their parents made their way to the buffet. Lord and Lady Raulings soon drifted off to greet various and sundry acquaintances, leaving Julianne in her sister's hands.

"What did you think of everyone tonight?" Kate asked her sister over some roast beef. "I thought everyone performed quite well, though I suppose there were a few rough patches here and there." Mrs. Clare had seemed a bit nervous, though Captain Sterne's voice had been surprisingly good. Perhaps that was why he had accompanied two ladies that evening.

Julianne was tempted to shrug, though she decided that it would not be a very becoming gesture to make. "I suppose there were no disasters, though I thought Lady Juliet's attempt at an Italian aria was a bit ambitious. Elise did quite well, though, didn't she?"

As much as she would have liked to have sighed at her sister's obvious competition with poor Lady Juliet, she knew it would do little but irritate her. Instead, she nodded in agreement and popped another piece of roast beef in her mouth.

[Charity Pritchard (Lin)]

"Come Sarah!" Charity rushed her friend as they walked arm in arm towards the buffet, giggling about Miss Wriothesley's singing and her obvious attempts at eyelash batting. There was no dancing that evening and Charity couldn't help but feel restless even after her performance with the Captain. She wanted something to eat, and having seen Blake engaged with Rosalind, and Elise with Lady Emerson, she pulled Sarah Nielson along, rushing towards the buffet.

"I think everyone did rather well tonight, didn't they!" She was just saying to Sarah, her head turned to her friend and not entirely watching where she was going. Sarah nodded earnestly in reply as the discussion moved on to Mrs Clare and the Captain, and Lady Olivia's performances. Charity, engrossed in her conversation, didn't realize how close she was to the next person, and in tucking her hair behind her ear, accidentally nudged another lady in the back.

"Ooh!" She exclaimed, swinging around. That slight a nudge was almost a tap, the other lady wouldn't have been hurt. In seeing it to be Lady Julianne, Charity found herself rolling her eyes inwardly. Right. Look now, Lady J is going to accuse me of breaking her ribs! "Oh, terribly sorry Julianne dearest." She said with a giant grin on her face, a knock for a knock, as it were. Juliet would be proud. "And Lady Carrington! How marvelous to see you again." To Kate she gave her brightest, most sincere smile. She did like Julianne's sister much, much more. Unfortunately story with the Earl, but no matter, she liked Kate all the same.

[Katharine Steele (Liz)]

As Julianne's head lurched forward, her plate bumped into Kate's, jarring it and causing her bit of roast beef to slip off the edge and fall with a splat on the floor. Drat, she thought, glancing down at it just long enough to kick it under the table with the toe of her shoe. Looking back up to her sister, she was about to ask her why she had done that when heard Miss Pritchard's very familiar voice.

Julianne heard it as well, just as she had been about to whirl around and give whatever oaf had bumped into her a piece of her mind. She was more than a bit irritated that it was, in fact, Charity, for that meant she had to be nicer, for Elise's sake. Charity and Lizzie Dunford were members of the same species in her mind - wellbred, highstrung ladies who'd been given their own way a time too many and were worse because of it. Instead of giving her a cold setdown, though she did not at all appreciate Charity's overly chummy, and highly insincere, apology, there was little to do but smile graciously and wave the offense away. "A simple mistake, dear Charity. It happens all the time, I'm sure." Clumsy fool.

Kate smiled warmly at Charity and her friend. Though she knew Julianne did not always deal well with Charity, she herself rather liked Elise's adopted sister. Granted, being older as she was, it meant she was able to enjoy Charity in small doses, rather than by the gallon, as her sister did. "Miss Pritchard," she said with a nod. "Your performance tonight was...inspired!" Kate decided that inspired was a neutral enough adjective to apply to the dramatic scene that had transpired earlier that evening.

[Charity Pritchard (Lin)]

"Thank you! Thank you!" She knew she liked Kate for a reason. Very, very nice person. Unlike her sister.. Charity stuck out her tongue at Julianne in her mind's eye- she was much to mature to do anything in public, really. "I am surprised you did not play, Lady Carrington.." Charity said, still arm in arm with Sarah. "I was quite hoping for you to take us all by storm. And I'm sure many others were as well." She said with a bright smile, prompting Sarah to nod as well.

"Also, Lady Viola has put in so much effort into this party." She continued on, chattering like a train on it's tracks and rushing to a destination. "Everything is beautiful, I must see her and tell her so." Although, she was not quite ready to relinquish Julianne's illuminating company just yet.

"Did you both enjoy yourself at the Ball the Sunday past?" She asked, as Sarah Nielson blanched. Sarah was in the awkward position of being friends with Elise (and by that extension, Julianne being her leader) and also Charity herself. "I saw Juliet Landon sometime during the festivities- how similar your names are and how unfortunate that she met with an accident of another girl spilling lemonade on her dress!" This she said with a bright sunny smile.

[Julianne Grafton (Liz)]

Kate smiled slightly and shook her head. It was true that as a debutante and young hostess, she had been prevailed upon to sing on occasion, and it was also true that she was quite talented. She didn't have the ability to hit the highest notes like Julianne, but her deeper voice was, she thought, of a fuller sound. She had never liked to sing, however, as it made her uncomfortable to have all eyes on her. While she had been Society's darling the year of her debut and thus had had eyes on her all the time, there was a difference in being stared at when one wasn't paying attention and when one was, the latter being far less appealing to Kate's sensibilities. "You are too kind, Miss Pritchard." She glanced over at Julianne and blinked. Had she not known her sister for years and spent many of those watching her, she would have had no idea there was anything the matter. However, she had, and she did. As best she could tell, her sister was positively furious.

The only outward sign of Julianne's rage was a slight tightening of her fingers around her lemonade class. That utter COW! It was questionable whether she was thinking of Juliet or Charity. She cut her eyes to Sarah Nielson and was sure she would have to deal harshly with her later. Julianne had tolerated her friendship with Charity as a relic of childhood, but if this sort of insubordination was what she could expect in the future, Julianne was certain she wanted nothing to do with her. For her part, Sarah was clearly on the verge of fainting, and rightly so. The time would come very soon that she would have to choose sides - Charity's or the right one.

Julianne didn't trust herself not to spill lemonade on another girl's dress just yet, so she simply smiled and tilted her head as though enjoying Charity's smile. After a few seconds, she swallowed and said, "Yes, I quite agree that Emerson House was a touch too crowded. Perhaps if the guest list had been a bit more exclusive, that unfortunate event might have been avoided. Poor Lady Juliet." Julianne shook her head as she looked to the floor wistfully. She then lifted her gaze back up to Charity and smiled serenely. She left it up to Charity to decide if she meant that the event could have been avoided because Juliet wouldn't have been there or because there would have been more space to move.

[George Hackett (Rose)]

George took his time to leave the room, exchanging a few brief compliments as was necessary with his hostess and hostess' niece. It had been rather painful. The aunt clearly had a notion that he should marry the niece. The niece fortunately displayed as little enthusiasm for the idea as he did and they escaped from each other as quickly as possible.

As for whom he might marry... he cast his eyes around the room for Lady Julianne and saw her speaking with her sister and Miss Pritchard. Taking care not to look too direct, he took a roundabout route across the room at a leisurely pace until he found himself in their vicinity.

He bowed, unaware of any undercurrents or tensions in the group, seeing only three very pretty and charming young ladies in a group with smiles on their faces.

"Countess, Lady Julianne, Miss Pritchard. I hope you are all enjoying the evening. I must compliment both of you (looking at the latter two ladies in turn) on very enjoyable performances."

He would have said more to Lady Julianne had he been alone with her but Miss Pritchard's presence dampened him. She was a lively creature and he enjoyed her company but, unlike most of the people present tonight, he actually understood the words of the song she was singing, and disapproved their content.

[Charity Pritchard (Lin)]

Charity grinned at Kate before she narrowed her eyes at Julianne, as if daring her to refute the accusation of spilling the drink on Lady Juliet's dress. Why this manipulative, eyelash fluttering... she thought, really wanting nothing less than to dump the glass of Lemondade in Julianne's hand over her startling red hair. Sarah Nielson, for her part was immediately untangling her arm from Charity, and slowing shifting so she was between the two. Sarah was no quiet wallflower by any chance, but in a war between the brunette and the redhead... She rather thought many more would die. Surely, even if Charity decided to do something stupid, Julianne would have the sense to remain respectable?

"We attempted to make it exclusive, really." Charity said earnestly. "Unfortunately, that's a disadvantage of having a private ball." Of course, a double edged snide to Julianne's debut at Almacks. "Everyone wanted an invitation and it was so hard to say no. And afterall who would be so.... well... who would refuse to attend an Emerson Ball?" Charity said snootily. She hated the way she sounded, but really, Julianne brought out the worst in her.

"Aside from the expected crush, I must compliment you on your ensemble that evening, Julianne!" She added quickly, a big smile towards both Julianne and Kate. "The white Peacock, how ingenious and how fitting for you, the fairest of us all!" At this, Sarah Nielson began nodding in earnest, her hand on Julianne's elbow, as if to comfort her.

She had just finished speaking when Lord Selwyn came up to them. Charity's eyes brightened in a second. "Thank you, my lord! I confess everyone has performed better than I for I have no musical talent and only sing what the Captain tells me to sing! I was frightfully nervous before too!"

[Julianne Grafton (Liz)]

Good God, Kate thought, suddenly feeling very old. Was this what she and her friends had been like when they were debutantes? Catty but clever - veiling insults and pointing out just how popular and powerful their families were? Perhaps not all of her friends had been like that, but, she thought remembering the last year, apparently some still were, which was why Kate was standing with her sister, her sister's enemy, and her sister's beau (Kate would have had to have been blind not to notice the attention Lord Selwyn had been paying Julianne over the past week and a half) rather than with her own friends and companions.

She sighed softly, wishing she could live her own life again, rather than live it in terms of her sister's life. Miss Pritchard's comment about Julianne's themed attire at Emerson Ball only underscored how Kate was feeling - had she not that evening come as a blue peacock to Julianne's white?

Julianne thought Charity's retort was a bit staid and was surprisingly disappointed in her. She could usually count on Charity to have at least something clever to say. Overshadowing her disappointment, however, was her irritation at Charity's reference to Julianne's own Almack's debut. She had told Lady Raulings that a simple coming out at Almack's wouldn't be enough and that she had to have her own party, but Lady Raulings had waved her off. "Kate came out at Almack's, and it certainly didn't hurt her! Married in three months!" Still, Julianne had pointed out that at least Kate had had a small gathering at Raulings House a few days later, but this too her mother had waved away. Apparently she would have to bring the subject up again; Julianne Grafton would not be looked down upon by anyone, least of all Charity Pritchard.

She was only slightly mollified by Charity's compliment to her ensemble and more than a bit suspicious. She was going back over the compliment in her mind, trying to discover any double entendre, when Lord Selwyn approached. Any lines on her forehead induced by Charity were erased as she turned to smile back at Lord Selwyn. She dipped into a slight curtsy, as did Kate, and blushed as he complimented her performance. She wondered if he'd noticed her coy glances during the piece.

As Charity spoke first (typical - always one to blurt something out, if only to have something to say), Julianne wanted to roll her eyes. Before anyone knew it, Charity would be tittering at the viscount. So that was her little game, was it? She fancied herself a potential wife for Lord Selwyn? Fat chance. Julianne had never entered a competition she didn't expect to win, and she wasn't about to start now. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to marry Lord Selwyn, but she certainly didn't want Charity to steal her opportunity to say no!

"You are too kind, my lord," she said after Charity was finished gushing. "I myself felt very little as far as nerves, thank Heavens, though I suppose it was because I have done little but practice for the past two days. Honestly, I doubt I, or any other members of my household, shall ever get the tune out of our heads, and I am sure they are all grateful my performance has come and gone!" She laughed lightly and smiled again.

[George Hackett (Rose)]

George could not but be surprised by Miss Prichard's response, but women were unaccountable creatures. "Not at all, Miss Pritchard. Nobody who has heard you sing could think you lacking in musical talent."

But if he was going to compliment her in this way he really shouldn't leave out Lady Julianne either. Really, approaching two unmarried young ladies at a time had been a terrible mistake. How Patrizia would laugh at him if she could have seen him in such a situation!

"And your practice certainly payed off as well," he added, turning to the other. "I am sure that Lady Carrington will agree with me that any temporary disturbance was well worth it for such a polished performance."

George felt incredibly awkward. He wished to speak to Lady Julianne on her own, but failing that wished he could find a way of moving on from the girls' performances without seeming dismissive.

[Katharine Steele (Liz)]

Kate privately thought Lord Selwyn gave her too much credit for her generosity. Truly, she had never been so grateful to have her own residence as she had the past week. Though she had stopped by that afternoon after her trip to Bond Street, even the mere hour she had spent in her family's home had nearly driven her to madness. She finally had to excuse herself when she realized her fingers were tapping the armrest of the settee to the tune of the piece.

However, she simply smiled at her sister and nodded in agreement as the viscount had suggested. "Lord Selwyn is quite correct, dearest. You played splendidly, and I know Mama was most proud. I only with that I possessed half your talent at the pianoforte." A self disparaging remark always tended to improve Julianne's mood, and this was no exception. Julianne's smile grew into a full grin, a rare expression from her, for she was typically quite careful to maintain her practiced simper when in public. She grinned in public less often than she scowled.

Kate turned back to the viscount and asked, "I noticed that you were not listed on the programme, Lord Selwyn. Do you not sing, or do you share my own discomfort at public performances?"