Curtains and courtesy

[Erika Leroux]

In a fit of cabin fever, Erika finds herself heading to the Silver Thimble. She tells herself that she needs to discuss fabrics and colour schemes with the one person in whose style she trusts. But in her heart she knows she's in need of company, and Christine is occupied with her impending travel arrangements.

This time she doesn't hesitate to ring the bell.

[Valentina Audley]

The door is answered promptly by a smart young lady. Her clothes are standard shopkeeper get up (a dark dress and a neat white apron, trimmed with a little lacy ruffle), but the clothes themselves are exquisitely tailored with a nod to the latest fashion.

She bobs a polite curtsey to Erika as her eyes pass over her swiftly, searching her memory in case this is a returning customer. Thinking not she says "Good evening Madam and welcome to the Silver Thimble, please won't you enter?" And ushers Erika in, helping her off with her shawl and hanging it neatly on a coat rack in the corner.

"How may we be of service?"

[Erika Leroux]

Erika smiles warmly at the young lady - her neatness and manner is pleasing indeed, and just as one would expect from the Thimble.
"Thank you. I was rather hoping to speak with Miss Audley if she's available. I have quite a task ahead of me, involving both colours and fabrics, and there is simply no one better than her regarding such matter." She hands over a simple but elegant calling card. "Tell her Mademoiselle Leroux values her opinion." Her mouth twitches amusedly as she says this. She has little doubt that she'll be turned away if Valentina isn't busy.

[Valentina Audley]

The young lady bobs another curtsey and promises to see if Miss Audley is available, disappearing through a dark wood door and leaving Erika to peruse the public displays in the main shop room.

In the workroom, Valentina is sat in front of her sketch book, ostensibly improving and expanding some of Jacob's more recent designs before heading home to Bristol. However, anyone who has recently visited Paris might remark at how all her drawings bear a certain resemblance to a handsome Toreador Prince... A dreamy expression is on her face as she sketches.

Anna knocks before entering, giving Valentina enough time to smooth her expression out before looking up and smiling at the girl, who murmurs an explanation and proffers the card. Valentina raises an eyebrow. An unusual visitor but one definitely worth entertaining.

"Please show our guest into the parlour Anna."

She checks her appearance in the mirror, smoothing the wrinkles out of her pretty muslin summer dress and patting her hair to check the pins were still in place before gliding into the parlour where Anna had hopefully shown Erika, all ready to great the Prince with a smile.

[Erika Leroux]

Erika's face breaks into a smile, and she rises to meet Valentina as she enters the room. Her eyes betray her though, a tiredness behind them.
"Miss Audley, thank you for agreeing to see me at such short notice. I was exceedingly disappointed that we didn't have time to speak at court, particularly as I desired to discuss the furnishings of our new hall with you." She drops her voice. "If truth be told, I needed a break from the paperwork too. So much with which to deal of late."

[Valentina Audley]

As Anna quietly slips away (though she closes the door with a noticeable click, to show she's not listening), Valentina curtseys to Erika.

"A pleasure your grace, truly. I too am always glad of a chance to ignore the paperwork!" Valentina smiles easily. "Court was rather busy, this time, was it not?" She gestures Erika towards a particularly comfortable looking cream sofa, then seats herself in a nearby wingback chair, which has an easy table with a sketchbook atop it in reach.

That she feels, was the understatement of the century, but it gives Erika the chance to say how much she wanted to discuss. If she replied in an equally trite manner, Valentina would stick to furnishings. If not... Well, a chance for a private tete a tete with the newest Prince of her acquaintance could be interesting (and in the most hidden corner she exulted over the fact she could claim acquaintance to so many princes).

[Erika Leroux]

Erika's mouth twitches in half amusement at Valentina's understatement. If it had been anyone other than Constance, she muses, she might even have laughed. But no. Sitting there, sentencing others to inevitable final death, others with whom she had connected, that had taken its toll on her spirits. She'd seen the scars.

Erika follows her lead, sitting down in the chair as demurely as she can, wishing that she could simply collapse into it and into tears. She merely sighs.

"It was...trying. Knowing what one must do, rather than what one's heart yearns to do is...harsh." A muscle in her face spasms slightly, she twists a battered silver locket in her fingers. "It was an inevitable outcome. Lessons were required, for those who did the deed, and for the court as a whole. I was fond of Constance, despite her straightforward ways. Perhaps because of them. Even when I sentenced her, when our eyes met, she knew there was no other option for either of us." She pauses for a moment, biting her lip. "I hope the whole business didn't sully the night for you."

[Valentina Audley]

Didn't sully the night? Good lord, they were apparently going to take it in turns to talk in understatements... Even as that thought flashes through her brain, she remembers the little bit of Constance's confession she had managed to hear and her heart twists anew, a flicker of grief passing over her face.

Oh Constance, Constance... Valentina sighs softly.

"As a supporter of the Camarilla, I endorse your upholding of the law. What Constance did was wrong and she must have known." Her face flickers again and she briefly looks away, fighting to smooth her expression. Her next statement is half under her breath. "I shall miss her so though." There are so many things she'd like to say on this, but can't. Camarilla law is clear, no matter how much she might wish it otherwise.

Her head stays bowed for a long moment, then she looks over to Erika and smiles. It's clearly not reaching her eyes, but equally clear she's making an effort, to change the subject. "I hear Iolanthe is to be performed at the Ceryneian. Quite the coup for Aquae Sulis!" The enthusiasm and cheer in her voice is slightly forced, but she's making an effort.

[Erika Leroux]

Erika opens her mouth to answer, and then stops mid word. She feels that this is a moment of honesty, or if it isn't, that it should be.
"I don't know if I should even say this, but...dear God, of all the people, I wish it hadn't been her. Damning her, when she had already suffered so, Verity and I exchanging glances, both of us desperately wishing it were otherwise, and she so calmly accepting her fate." Erika's eyes are glistening with bloodied tears. "Until then, I little knew the true weight of the crown. And I cannot be seen to grieve in public for one I called friend."

She pauses again. "I'm sorry. The action, though appropriate, has left me with a leaden heart."

[Valentina Audley]

Oh. So they were going for deep were they? Very well. It would be something of a relief. Valentina stands and busies herself moving around the room. From cupboards two glasses and a bottle two thirds full of a dark viscous liquid are produced. another cupboard produces some curiously dark handkerchiefs and lastly she briefly sticks her head out of the door and the words 'not to be disturbed' can be heard amongst the instructions issued.

One of the handkerchiefs is wordlessly passed to Erika, it's not new, but it's soft and comforting and a colour that would seem to show the least stains. Upset she might be, but Valentina always has an eye to care for clothing.

She pours the blood into the glasses and holds the one out to Erika. "Nothing special I'm afraid, but this feels like the time to have a drink handy." Her voice is a little raspy, but her eyes have steadied and she sounds calm enough.

She sits down again, cradling her own drink. "Constance has always been accepting, for as long as I have known her. I wondered once, what made her so." She pauses, then starts speaking again, relieved to be able to talk to someone about it.

"I... I don't know what Reggie will do. If I am grieved, for one I have known such a short time, what of him who has claimed her friendship for many a year? They are so close and he cares more for those close to him than he would willingly admit." In the depths of her own head Valentina wonders at herself, both at how much she's worried for Reggie and at how frightened she is that he will do something awful enough to land himself in the same position as Constance.