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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 14, 2010 22:19:20 GMT -5
Nicolas d'Enjolras, attired in a very smart visiting outfit that Adrienne had picked out, arrived in his very smart carriage, pulled by his very smart matched horses. Removing his very smart hat as he entered the building, he left one very smart calling card in the appropriate receptacle, with "Nadezhda Petrov" written on it in pen (every other card had a name written on it, as otherwise there would be know way of knowing who called for whom). Several girls were visiting with either friends or beaus in the parlor, with several matrons circling around being very... chaperone-ly.
He spoke with one of them, was directed to a sofa and told to wait.
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 14, 2010 22:29:10 GMT -5
After a few moments of quick preparation to make sure that she didn't look as though she'd been studying all day, which she had been, she headed down to the parlor.
In her haste however, she'd forgotten to remove her thin glasses. Although she wasn't twittering away as other girls would be in the thought of a such a young man calling on her, she was at least knowledgeable as to how one should appear.
Coming in to the parlor she looked about and spotted him quite quickly, putting on her most charming smile she strode over to him.
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 14, 2010 22:32:09 GMT -5
Nicki smiled when he caught sight of her, rising and bowing to present the flowers he had brought with him--nothing particularly exciting or ostentatious, but fresh and pretty.
He was rather pleased to see she wore glasses. He himself wore spectacles when reading. Adrienne insisted it was because he did so much of it.
"How delightful to see you again. I was terrified you'd ignore me completely." He gave a small, teasing smile.
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 14, 2010 22:45:24 GMT -5
Nattie took the flowers carefully and smelled them "You have given me no reason to lock myself away-" she looked up"-not yet however, please, sit."
Smirking, she sat down on a living chair across from the sofa he'd been sitting in, and laid the flowers down on a table in front of her. Folding her hands in her lap, she wrinkled up her nose to cure a sudden itch, only to find out she was still wearing her glasses.
"Oh" she reached up and took them off, setting them in her lap "silly little things, if only I could read without them."
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 15, 2010 8:49:46 GMT -5
"Ah," he teased, "but haven't you learned yet, the way of the French woman is to inspire interest by feigning the utter lack of it. I'd have thought a French school would have taught you that already."
Then he smiled sheepishly, pulling his own pair of reading glasses out of his breast pocket for a moment before returning them. "A few too many nights spent reading by one candle."
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 15, 2010 20:13:49 GMT -5
"It is the one thing I have opted out of here, learning to be a French woman, that is" she giggled "I am not one to ignore what is right before my eyes."
She smirked as he pulled out his glasses "I know the feeling, the girls here, they are thinking sometimes that I read to often. They spend their nights and days dreaming of boys, and staring at the ceiling."
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 15, 2010 23:38:52 GMT -5
In his experience, French women were highly overrated anyway.
"A lady who doesn't read is a lady who doesn't think. And why are you going to school but to learn to think?"
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 16, 2010 1:32:36 GMT -5
"They are coming here to gossip" she smirked "and not just about each other, but about everything. They, just as we, come from lines of privilege, they are only here because their parents are not knowing what to do with them during this age. They give them a little education, before they are shipping them off with some man they have never met. This is what they are looking forward to."
She placed her hand to her mouth "I am sorry, sometimes I am talking without thinking."
((I'm trying out writing her with a, well not an accent, but a English (or French in this case) not being the first language type thing. I think I like it, she's kind of endearing.))
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 16, 2010 10:05:49 GMT -5
"Oh, dear, have I thrown a wrench into your gossiping-and-marrying plans for this afternoon?" He teased. "But in all seriousness, that sounds like a terrible thing to look forward to." Thank God his father hadn't send Adrienne to a place like this (probably because she'd have punched someone). Adrienne had in fact attended a school for magic, which they covered for by saying it was an exclusive and progressive boarding school for girls from noble families.
((It's pretty darn adorable.))
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 16, 2010 21:51:25 GMT -5
Nattie smiled widely in response to the first part of his statement, before frowning slightly when replying "My Отец, my father, he is telling me that one day he might have to do such a thing" she shook her head "he does not want to, but he says if I can not find person to love, that he may not have choice. I am feeling like I am to young for marriage, but the girls in Russia, they marry at 16, I am getting old by Russian standards."
This was true, her father had indeed told her that she needed to find someone, that he would always provide for her. But in the times they were in, they needed to be careful, her other sisters were married, as was her brother. She was the last child, the last to find love.
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 16, 2010 22:12:52 GMT -5
"Oh, yes, you're practically an old crone," he said seriously, but then his eyes softened. "Let me tell you something. A few years ago, we all despaired of Adrienne, my sister, ever getting married. At twenty she showed no signs of even considering marriage. All the men she met were too unintelligent, too boorish, too condescending... something was always wrong. Rather than force her, my father said we should be patient, that she would find someone on her own time and terms. Here she is, five years later, with a husband and daughter she adores, and another one on the way." Of course the order had been a little mixed up, and there had been another husband thrown in, but it had all worked out for the best in the end. "My point is, just let things play out how they will. You'll be happier in the long run if you do things for the right reasons."
Perhaps it was because French was not her native language, or perhaps Russian manners were different, but she somehow spoke more frankly than any girl he had ever met. Of course many of the conventions of society were still in place, but he couldn't think of another girl who would speak so honestly about being expected to marry , or another who would speak of love to a near-stranger. He found it fascinating and endearing.
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 16, 2010 22:35:28 GMT -5
She listened carefully and held her hands together "I am wishing that my father was as patient" she shrugged "I hope however I am finding someone who is not like the men back home, they are all very, rugged" was the best she could say "what is saying, more brawn then brains?"
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 16, 2010 22:45:05 GMT -5
"I certainly hope you find us French to be sufficiently clever and scrawny for your tastes," he said, smiling, "We're quite delicate as a result of our temperate climate, and prefer writing poetry about our feelings to chopping down trees and herding reindeer." Blatant stereotypes were always good for a laugh. He was quite capable of surviving in extreme climates, though he had written a few poems in the past.
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Post by Nattie Petrova on May 16, 2010 22:48:52 GMT -5
"So far they are all that an more" she chuckled "although I am not meeting too many young men as I am here most of the time. The girls they try to make me go, but the balls they attend are so silly."
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Post by Nicolas d'Enjolras on May 16, 2010 22:52:29 GMT -5
"Perhaps a private ball would be more to your tastes?" By private ball, he meant that the guest list would be limited to only the highest echelons of society. "I am hosting one at my house in a few weeks to wish my sister farewell--she's moving to New York. She would be the actual hostess; it would all be very proper, and I shall endeavor to ensure that it is not in the least silly."
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