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Post by Lili Walser on Apr 5, 2012 20:25:29 GMT -5
It was a glorious spring day in Granor... so glorious that Lili just couldn't bear to sit inside any bit longer. She had taken to wandering about her garden at home, but that garden wasn't nearly large enough or varied enough to keep her interest for long, and besides that, she knew each and every flower in it. It was time to find a different garden to explore. The park had flowers...
And so it was that, with some convincing Sarah on her end, she had changed her daytime dress for a lavender walking dress and delicate boots, and was settling in the carriage with the maid for a ride to the park.
As was proper, Lili carried a lace parasol to keep the sun from burning her as they meandered. They had no particular destination in mind, nor any particular time frame in which to wander; the only thing on Lili's mind was the fresh air and the flowers, and just how lovely it was to not be inside any longer.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Apr 5, 2012 20:36:43 GMT -5
The park in his neighborhood was one of Francis' favorite places to think or relax. While it was also a prime spot for being seen, people generally minded their own business or occupied themselves with the well-tended gardens rather than chat with him.
This suited Francis just fine. He had just spent a long evening at a soiree the night before, and he was eager to surround himself with flowers - which thankfully did not have the faculties to squeal or gossip - and enjoy the day.
The sun was beaming down at him as he strolled down the paved paths, leaving the more open spaces for woodier areas. There was an area reserved for the brightest irises to grow in...
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small figure approaching just ahead of the path. A few steps closer brought him recognition.
"Lady Lili!" He grinned dazzlingly as he raised his hand.
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Post by Lili Walser on Apr 5, 2012 20:44:19 GMT -5
"Oh, look, Sarah - the crocuses. They're so lovely, with the bright colors, aren't they?" Lili murmured appreciatively, gazing at the flowers for a moment before moving on. Crocuses, pansies, lilies (her favorite), early roses, and irises... and she was looking to see if there were any new flowers that she could perhaps ask Ludwig whether they could contrive to add to the gardens. At the very least, perhaps she could convince him to add more roses this year? They did make such lovely cut flowers...
"Lady Lili!"
The shout caught her by surprise, stopping her short for a moment. When she found the speaker, and his dazzling grin, she merely tilted her head enough to smile up at him shyly. Yes, she knew the man, through her cousin. They were friends of some sort... honestly, she wasn't certain of the details, and had never asked.
"Good day, Lord Bonnefoy."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Apr 5, 2012 20:52:58 GMT -5
Francis strode up to the girl, who he could see was accompanied by another girl. Her maid, most likely.
Doffing his hat, Francis bent down and took the young noblewoman's hand, kissing it delicately. When he turned to greet the maid in a similar fashion, he found himself rebuffed. He tried not to take it too personally.
"How lucky I am," said Francis cheerfully, "to be able to find the most glorious flowers in the park!"
He winked at Lili. "Is your cousin with you? Or do I have the pleasure of having to talk to you by myself?"
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Post by Lili Walser on Apr 5, 2012 21:09:07 GMT -5
Lili blushed delicately as he kissed her hand, but kept her soft smile. When he turned to Sarah, and Sarah merely stared at him as though he'd lost his noble mind, the blonde girl had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. Sarah was really only interested in one thing, she'd mentioned to Lili once, and that was keeping Lili out of trouble. Of course, the noblewoman was quite sure that Sarah was interested in other things, but she didn't argue with her maid.
She tilted her head when he mentioned flowers, her blush escalating as she realized he was complimenting her, and then again when he winked. "O-oh, no. Cousin is working... I wish he were able to join us. It's so lovely out today..."
Sarah, of course, was not moved by the compliment nor the wink.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Apr 5, 2012 21:24:01 GMT -5
The sour look surfacing on Lili's maid's face did not deter Francis. If anything, he offered his arms for both women to take.
"Oh yes, and even lovelier now that I have two of the most beautiful ladies to accompany me!"
He indicated down the path with a tilt of his head. "You would do me a great privilege if you would walk with me on this fine day. The irises are blooming by now, and I would love to share the view with you."
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Post by Lili Walser on Apr 5, 2012 21:30:40 GMT -5
Lili hesitated for a moment before accepting, resting her small hand on Francis' arm lightly. Sarah, trapped into accepting now that Lili had, sighed inaudibly and did the same, though she was increasingly unsure of the wisdom of this situation. She'd heard rumors about this Lord Bonnefoy... rumors that would make Lady Lili blush more vibrantly than any of these flowers that bloomed.
Speaking of which... "O-oh, I'd love to see them. I've been contemplating petitioning Ludwig to assist me in choosing a new flower for our gardens... we've a few irises, but none of the pretty yellow ones that bloom here." Tilting her head to peek up at him from beneath her lashes, she continued. "They... they rather remind me of sunshine."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Apr 5, 2012 21:44:18 GMT -5
Francis led the female pair toward the path at a leisurely pace, taking his time. There was no rush, just a sweet companion and pleasant talk. And her chaperone, but for now, the maid was not complaining.
"Ah, they do, don't they?" His gaze lingered on the patch of irises, their happy, buttery petals stirring slightly in the breeze. He pointed at another patch, this one with blooms of a different color. "And look, over there, at that! Those remind me of the color of your dress, my lady."
The thought of Gilbert deliberating flower choices made Francis snigger slightly. "If you ever need help with convincing your dear cousin, you can count on me as a supporter. After all, flowers bring happiness, don't they?"
He leaned down to whisper into Lili's ear. "And I've just been privy to the most delightful secret. The peonies are finally blooming...and only a few people know where in this park."
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Post by Lili Walser on Apr 5, 2012 22:03:30 GMT -5
Lili smiled happily at the sight of the irises. They were just so cheerful and bright, growing bunched as they were. She followed his hand when he gestured to the others, examining them for a moment with curiosity, and then nodding. "J-Ja, they do, don't they. I... I wonder if that's the inspiration for this dye...?" But the question was more rhetorical than otherwise.
Sarah pressed her lips together firmly, not altogether pleased at the comment about Lili's dress. That meant that Lord Bonnefoy was looking... and the maid wasn't sure that Herr Beilschmidt would be pleased to find such out.
"O-oh, I love flowers... A-and they bring all sorts of lovely butterflies and hummingbirds to the gardens..." The girl looked up at him, her own smile bright when he said that she could count on him for support. "Danke, Lord Bonnefoy, truly. That's very kind of you."
She glanced away just in time for him to whisper in her ear, eliciting a soft, startled, gasp from her - and an immediate blush. She hadn't been expecting that at all, goodness. But the words... peonies... "I... I didn't realize that this park had peonies..." She murmured, slanting her gaze up to him again.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Apr 5, 2012 22:14:56 GMT -5
Francis couldn't help chuckling at the high color on Lili's cheeks; it suited her well. But he ought not to scare her away, so he leaned back slightly.
"Oh yes. They're quite new, actually, exported just last year. They were replanted here, and now, they're going to be celebrating they're second spring in the park."
Steering the two girls away from the irises, he pointed further down the path. "Would you like me to show you? They're in the most surprising place - somewhere you wouldn't care to look at first. But once you see it...ah, you will find yourself drawn to it everytime."
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