Gilded lilies

[Valentina Audley]

Both reactions satisfy Valentina enormously. Tatiana's as it's nice to have a fellow professional (especially one not in direct competition), agree with your choices and Erika's admiration is always a delight. Valentina doesn't speak french, so the meaning is lost, but the tone and the rapt expressions are not.

Moving to stand next to Erika she smiles her delight at her lover and slips an arm about her waist.

Replying to Tatiana she asks interestedly 'Oh, do you think so? How many strings would you advise for such a necklace?" Valentina's curiosity is peaked as she'd been considering changing the neckline on that gown.

[Tatiana Ivanov]

Tatiana was acutely aware of Valentina's contented mood, so decides in inject a touch of her more cutting wit to the occasion.

With a wicked smile, she replies "It is entirely dependant on the person wearing the gown" her savage cutting remark released into the room. Clasping her hands about her neck to push the flesh of her cheeks up in a comical fashion she continues "One does not want to look like a strangled bullfrog if one only has the neck for two loose strands."

Tatiana begins to chuckle to herself, hoping that her humour won't be lost on the assembled company. Valentina, after all, must be familiar with a patron's demand for fashion not always matching the strengths of their physique.

[Valentina Audley]

"Ah, I see you have already met Mrs Mortimer-Phillips." Valentina remarks solemnly, before letting loose a peal of silvery laughter.

"The kine at least, can usually be left to my ghoul for that kind of problem, Mrs Mortimer-Phillips being the irritating exception that proves the rule. The Kindred however..." Valentina pulls a face. "Sometimes one's art must suffer, alas."

"Thankfully, in this instance, I need only dress a model. I'm hoping to find a red headed slip of a girl for that particular frock, though a brunette would do as well I suppose."

A thought occurs to her.

"I should see if Reggie has some girls he could lend me for an evening... Or see if my ghoul has started work on hiring a few suitable girls..." She regretfully leaves Erika's side, to come to the table and make a note in one of the many open books.

[Erika Leroux]

Erika joins in the laughter - though hers is more through relief that the two have found common ground, Mrs Mortimer-Phillips most definitely being common ground to all those who attempt to avoid her.

As Valentina continues, an amusing idea enters Erika's mind. "Describe her to me..." she begins. "What manner of girl? Size, I can see well enough, but...yes...describe your ideal slip, and I'll see what I can do..."

[Valentina Audley]

Describe her? Hrm... An interesting challenge, given one never gets the exact model of one's dreams, such are the trials of an artisitic life.

"Well..." Valentina begins, thoughtfully.

"She'd be slender. I don't mean in size so much as..." She waves a hand frustratedly, trying to gesture a meaning where the words won't come.

"Elfin." Yes, that was it. Valentina carries on, with more confidence as she works it out

"She'd move like she came from the woods, but is perfectly at home in the towns. She'd have masses of red hair, elegantly piled up, but with a wisp or two escaping. Her eyes, they'd be green and laughing and whilst it's not a usual look for the well to do young lady, I rather think she'd have a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her skin, obviously would be fashionably pale, but she'd have a good colour in her cheeks and long, delicate limbs."

Valentina stops staring into the middle distance with a start and she tucks a strand of her own stray hair behind her ear and smiles at Erika and Tatiana.

"Do you know of anyone who might fit that description?" She asks the question at both women, vaguely hoping one of them might.

[Erika Leroux]

"Let me think a moment on that..." She turns away, considers the description slowly and silently. It's not a dissimilar description to her own, when she was younger, when she was mortal. Though her own being then had carried the weight of the arrogance of youth. She wonders if she can, if she should...She casts her mind back, back before lost memories, images piling up like a mass of elegant red hair, eyes full of bright hopes and dreams. It takes a few moments more before she is satisfied, and turns back.

"A little like this, perhaps?"

[Tatiana Ivanov]

Tatiana gives a little squeal of delight at the Prince's transformation.

"If I could do that, I'd be doing it all the time" she exclaims.

Turning to Valentina, she asks "Do you have a string of pearls anywhere that I could borrow for a demonstration?"