With each step his feet made a small 'pap' against the pavement of Kirk Street. Elijah wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. Instead, he was contemplating how he should go about making the emerald bracelet Mrs. Henderson ordered earlier that day. Should I put two links inbetween each stone, or would three links look better?

Before he knew it Elijah had hit the town square. The people buzzing about snapped him out of his daydreams and called him back to earth. The water was calm in the large, well-crafted fountain as a couple held hands and gazed upon it. Gossips and laughter rang through the air. Elijah smiled, he felt comfortable here.

His eyes were commanded left by an arrangement of bright colors. Flowers again. He'd think he'd have enough of them by now, but Elijah found himself crouching down and admiring a camellia's soft petals. His calloused fingers lined the petals softly as he remembered Mrs. Kendall explanation on the symbolism. Gratitude…or was it sweet memories. Both maybe? He had already forgotten, but it didn't make the flowers any less appeasing...

Marie was floating.. or at least that's what it felt like to her. Floating through a see of people like she hadn't known possible. Her dress was a soft and easily picked up with the breeze. The 17 year old red head's delicate hands played with the ribbons of her hat, as they two flipped about wth the breeze. It was a sunny day but not exactly very hot. As her governess bustled beside her, babbling on about these things or those things, who was who, and what was what, Marie found a secret solace in ignoring her.

The hairs that had failed to stay in the polite but casual bun at the back of her head, also flew around her face but not in a distracting way. She thought often about what it would be like in the future, after the Ball. Although the idea of settling down with a husband was appealing, there were times when she wished it wasn't such a big priority. Her family actually seemed to keep a bit level headed where marriage and Marie were concerned, but still, she often wondered about her future life partner. It wasn't as though her father was busying himself with trying to find her a husband, but he liked to bring up names of the 40 something's that he worked with or did business with from time to time, though Marie truthfully had little interest in them. Though she had to admit that it wasn't necessarily her place to deny her father -- she felt she should have even a small bit of input into the matter.

Her eyes drifted around the town square as her governess walked along side her. As she walked her eyes drifted upwards a moment, and at that moment, Marie felt herself knock into someone who seemed to be crouching down. Her eyes widened as she stopped, her Governess looking angry and appalled at Marie's apparent clumsiness. "Oh sir -- I'm so terribly sorry." She apologized earnestly, her ears flushing a reddish color though it might not have been very easy to see. Marie's hand lay itself across her lips as she watched him, noticing his age, but fearing that he might be angry with her.

Suddenly Elijah felt his center of gravity be thrown off balance. Out of reflex his hand reached out to catch himself from falling, but his fingers wrapped around a stem. It snapped, and his other arm reached out behind him to catch himself.

Elijah looked up. His eyes grew wide with recognition of the fiery red hair. For a split second he thought that it was his sister, Julia. He opened his mouth to speak until his eyes caught sight of curves that did not belong to a twelve-year-old. In fact, it was a rather lovely lady standing in front of him with her delicate fingers resting on her lips.

"Oh sir -- I'm terribly sorry."

Her blue eyes. He stood up to meet them with his own.

"It's quite alright," Elijah said candidly, brushing the dirt off his pants with his free hand. He smiled reassuringly to let her know there was no harm done. "I can see how you didn't see me. The Town Square is rather delightful during the evening, if not distracting. Lovely weather too today, don't you think?"

In his mind's eye the camellia in his hand began to glow. Already detached from its roots, it would be a shame for it to go to waste. He had a bold idea.

"Flower?" He offered innocently.

"It's quite alright," Elijah said candidly, brushing the dirt off his pants with his free hand. He smiled reassuringly to let her know there was no harm done. "I can see how you didn't see me. The Town Square is rather delightful during the evening, if not distracting. Lovely weather too today, don't you think?"

Marie's hand slowly left her lips. It gently and slowly fell down by her side as she watched him with baited breath. Blinking several times in a row, Marie seemed a bit dumfounded that he was such a lovely person. "Y-yes.. I really - I was being careless," Marie began to stammer, unable to get her head around her clumsiness. "Though the Town Squre does pose as quite a distraction.. so many people moving here and there." Marie spoke quietly, her connection with his eyes not wavering.

"The weather?" Her soft words came, until she could answer her own question. "This morning I feared we would receive a rain shower, but by mid-day it was getting warmer." At this, the corners of her lips lifted to form a polite, but friendly smile. "It's very nice, yes." Marie answered a second time, with a slight nod of her hair.

"Flower?" He offered innocently.

Her blue eyes travelled down to the flower currently in his grasp, and Marie felt her expression change. Honestly? Her face softened to that of sincere apprecation and admiration - she'd rudely bumped into him and he was offering her something so pretty? "Oh," Marie smiled, and let a gentle bout of laughter echo around the pair. "Yes, thank you."

"You're very welcome," he said, feeling completely relieved she wasn't repulsed by such a forward action. Her laughter dispersed the solemnness of the evening atmosphere. All the sudden Elijah was feeling giddy. He found it strange, it was just another evening walk, so why should he be feeling excited? Regardless he welcomed it all the same.

A few silent seconds went by as he noticed a loose strand of fiery red hair swaying in the wind. Tight in a bun, Elijah's hand slowly tightened as he imagined her hair unrestrained.

His eyes refocused on hers, and for a moment he felt an unfamiliar awkwardness. The silence has stretched out too long for comfort. Elijah knew he was forgetting something, something he had to say. What was it?

Of course.

"Please forgive my rudeness," he said as the corners of his mouth peaked upward into a warm smile. "I forgot to properly introduce myself. I am Elijah Brooks. And whose presence am I graced with tonight?"

A silence grew between them, though it was not a silence that Marie particularly favored. It was one that needed to end soon, or she would find herself stumbling over her words - and already stumbling into him that evening had turned out to be a very good thing, and an embarassing one too. She could sense her governess getting huffy at her side, but she couldn't turn her head to assure her they would move on shortly, for something in his eyes was oddly captivating. Marie saw his expression changed, almost as if he was thinking about something, and her head tilted just slightly. Her hair was beginning to lose it's tight up-do; little hairs falling from her bun and tickling her cheeks and jaw as the wind picked them up. Had he noticed? Marie felt a sudden heat at the back of her neck.

"Please forgive my rudeness," he said as the corners of his mouth peaked upward into a warm smile. "I forgot to properly introduce myself. I am Elijah Brooks. And whose presence am I graced with tonight?"

He introduced himself, and asked her name. Marie found herself repeating his name in her mind for a few seconds after he said it, as to never forget it. Elijah.. how wonderful. It was no secret that a soft smile had formed upon her lips as she watched him with her happy eyes. Marie was about to speak, and introduce herself but her governess quickly interupted.

"My dear, time is running out. Your father will not be at all pleased that you have been out so very long, and speaking to a gentleman all the while! Have you lost your mind?"

Marie tensed up, and broke the lovely eye contact with Mr. Brooks. "I implore you to see reason Ma'am.." Marie cooed. "I surely cannot see the harm in meeting someone new. And I have not heard you complain since we started out this evening - what could be troubling you so suddenly?" It was true, that her words did carry a trace of playfulness, merely because she knew her governess did not like to be kept waiting, or stand for very long. She was a round woman, older in age, and rather grouchy when she did not receive the things she desired. "Would you do me the smallest favor in running our last errand? I only need one ribbon, in any color you desire, from that shop across the way."

The governess looked suspiciously from Marie to Elijah, then slowly departed from them, heading across the road to a small linen shop.

She turned back to Elijah, finding herself slightly caught off guard by his pleasant face. Marie blinked. "You must forgive her. Honestly, she can be quite a lovely woman.. I cannot imagine what you've done to upset her so." Marie chuckled softly as she spoke, the light of the dying sun illuminating her face. "Never the less, I am Marie James - that is my governess Bertha." Marie gently raised her hand to gesture to her grumpy governess across the way. "It is quite a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I was worried at the start that you might be bitter towards my clumsy faulter, but you seem very.. agreeable." Marie felt slightly bashful as she tangled her fingers together. "I hope dear Bertha has not scared you away. I would hate to leave a bitter impression upon you of myself and my party." Marie told him honestly, her eyes smiling for her.

"My dear, time is running out. Your father will not be at all pleased that you have been out so very long, and speaking to a gentleman all the while! Have you lost your mind?"

An old crone's voice brought him back to earth. How stupid of him. He did not even realize the round woman eyeing him ever so suspiciously. Was that her mother? Perhaps, and if so, was her father strict? Since he did not want his daughter speaking to a man? Elijah smirked on this. At least he was regarded as a gentleman. That means he couldn't have made too bad of an impression on the old woman, right? Maybe she wouldn't bid her daughter hurry before he found out her name.

"I implore you to see reason Ma'am..I surely cannot see the harm in meeting someone new. And I have not heard you complain since we started out this evening - what could be troubling you so suddenly?" His smile faded. He found himself twisting the family ring he wore on his right ring finger. Elijah knew…he had a sister after all. This kind of suspicion is natural. He has been subjected to it before. So… why did he feel so nervous this time?

Yet, the playfulness in her voice was…well, he thought it cute. Promising. He found himself wanting to get to know her better. He hoped he would have the chance.

"Would you do me the smallest favor in running our last errand? I only need one ribbon, in any color you desire, from that shop across the way."

Despite the look the woman gave him, he shot a full smile back at her. Elijah told himself this was merely to assure her. At least that is what he told himself. He turned back to the lady.

"You must forgive her. Honestly, she can be quite a lovely woman.. I cannot imagine what you've done to upset her so." A pang of disappointment ran through him, but it was very short lived. It was very difficult to feel bad while staring into a pair of pretty blue eyes.

"Never the less, I am Marie James - that is my governess Bertha. It is quite a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Elijah nodded as he took in the information. Marie James…

And the woman with her was her governess. That meant her family was well off.

"It's a pleasure to make yours," Elijah responded.

"I was worried at the start that you might be bitter towards my clumsy faulter, but you seem very.. agreeable."

"People make mistakes. No harm done."

"I hope dear Bertha has not scared you away. I would hate to leave a bitter impression upon you of myself and my party."

Elijah couldn't help but laugh. It was short but as light as air. "You leave no such impression, Ms. Marie James," he said joyfully, her name appeasing to his tounge. "In fact, you leave quite the opposite…Bertha seems like a great governess. Her suspicion is well founded…although," Elijah said, tilting his head playfully, "I'm surprised you're not suspicious of me as well."

"You leave no such impression, Ms. Marie James," he said joyfully, her name appeasing to his tounge.

Marie rather liked the way her name sounded coming from him. It was like she was special, somehow, the way he said it. Marie felt silly even thinking such a thing but she had to admit it; there was most certainly something appealing about him. "I'm very glad." Marie responded softly, her tone quiet. So very much so that she was not completely certain that he had heard her. But such a thing did not matter very much - there was no harm done, and Marie was happy to hear it. She took a sideways glance at her governess, huffing towards the ribbon shop - a smile that suggested trickery, playfullness, or maybe mere satisfaction clung to her soft pink lips as Marie then looked back to her new acquaintance; one, she hoped very much would become a closer friend.

"In fact, you leave quite the opposite…Bertha seems like a great governess. Her suspicion is well founded…although,"

It was an immediate reaction of hers, to nod after someone had spoken. Though this usually occured before she had had time to actually absorb what they were saying, so Marie needed a second more afterwards to let their words sink in. "She is wonderful, yes." The redheaded teen agreed, then stopped herself from speaking, and listened to him finish. "Oh?" Marie asked with a slight tilt of her red head.

"I'm surprised you're not suspicious of me as well."

Something crossed her features here... something that spoke volumes about a character she possessed that not many would ever/had seen. The twitch upwards of a smirk started at her lips, as the doe-eyed innocent expression seemed to leave her eyes. Marie eyed him with amusement and intrigue. "Have I any reason to suspect you.. sir?" She asked in a tone that could be interpretted as mild flirtation - something old Bertha might actually lose consciousness over.

"Have I any reason to suspect you.. sir?" There was something especially devious in her voice. His hand approached his mouth with his thumb under his chin. His eyes darted upward as if he was contemplating.

“Well,” Elijah said darkly. “I do not believe there is any reason to for you to suspect me, Ms. James. Although… if there was, I would dare not say it out loud.”

He stared at her intensely to let the heavy mood set in. Or at least so he tried. In three seconds the edges of his mouth twitched. Two more seconds after that he burst into laughter.

“I’m just kidding with you,” Elijah said, still chuckling. “In all honesty, though, you have no reason to fear me. I’m merely a simple jeweler.” His hand went up to the back of his head and fingers intertwined with his fox red hair. “Well…more of an apprentice jeweler. I’m learning from my father. He’s a master…incredibly skilled. If I’m lucky I’ll end up with half the talent he has after my training.”

He looked down at his right hand. His index finger was adorned with the family ring. Each member of the Brooks family had one of these sparkling garnet rings. The red gemstone was most appropriate, his father thought, due to the simple fact most of Elijah’s family has red hair.

On his ring finger, however, was a piece that Elijah mostly made himself. It was a sapphire ring, adorned with tiny diamonds. It was one of his better made rings and he was rather proud of it.

After a moment of debate, he slipped the sapphire ring off his finger.

“This is the kind of jewelry we make at our shop.” Elijah held it up to Marie for her to inspect. He couldn’t help but notice that, while sapphire gems were always pretty, Marie’s eyes were something else… He carefully studied them for her reaction.

“Well,” Elijah said darkly. “I do not believe there is any reason to for you to suspect me, Ms. James. Although… if there was, I would dare not say it out loud.”

There was a heavy silence between the two. Marie watched him with intensity as he stared back at her with a matching stare. She felt her lips quiver trying to fight sudden laughter. It was incredible! Someone that she had just met, made her feel unafraid to laugh for such a silly reason, almost immeidately. Marie took quite a while to warm up to new people, and it was surprising to her that he made her feel so much at home.. so free, as it were. As he began to laugh, Marie could no longer hold it in, and let gentle laughter pour from her, a hand flying to her lips.

“I’m just kidding with you,” Elijah said, still chuckling. “In all honesty, though, you have no reason to fear me. I’m merely a simple jeweler.”

Marie nodded, still smiling and laughing slightly as he spoke. So, he was a jeweler. "What a wonderful profession, Mr. Brooks!" Marie praised with a friendly smile as she watched him with affection.

“Well…more of an apprentice jeweler. I’m learning from my father. He’s a master…incredibly skilled. If I’m lucky I’ll end up with half the talent he has after my training.”

"Oh, how wonderful. I'm sure you're very skilled as well!" Marie encouraged openly, nodding slightly as she spoke. He was very honest, but still a bit modest. Marie was often conflicted with modesty -- she usually exuded it, but rarely liked to hear people put themselves on a lower scale than they really were.

“This is the kind of jewelry we make at our shop.”

Her eyes lit up instantly as he let her examine the ring. "This is beautiful, Mr. Brooks.... stunning, in fact. My mother had a ring like this, a very long time ago." Marie lamented with a very soft expression in her blue eyes. She looked up suddenly at him, seeing that he had been looking at her eyes at the same time. She felt the tips of her ears redden, and a small curve at the edge of her lips turn upwards. "I think I would be honored to see your shop someday." Marie decided with a very soft tone.

"This is beautiful, Mr. Brooks.... stunning, in fact. My mother had a ring like this, a very long time ago." His ego swelled at her compliment. Elijah smirked and began to admire how he did, in fact, cut the jewel precisely right. It was overall a simple ring, and many people bought jewelry like this. Perhaps Miss James's mother came to the Brooks to buy it. Although other jewellers did exist, he toyed with this idea and loved the ironic twist.

A very long time ago. This sparked Elijah's curiosity. What had happened to it? He opened his mouth to ask, but then…

"I think I would be honored to see your shop someday." Those words were like honey to his ears.

"Really?! That’s…great…that's…" Despite his conversational shortcomings, a jolt of excitement ran through his body. Even a blind person could see that Elijah's face was beaming. His eyes went wide and his smile was wider. She wanted to see him again. At least that’s the way he interpreted it.

"…wonderful! I would be …delighted if you came to the shop." His excitement was getting in the way of his coherency. His hands, revolving in circles, gave way to the boundless energy that was bouncing inside of him. "Honestly…I would love to see you again."

And his heart stopped. Those words came out before his brain had time to stop them. Elijah knows he's a pretty forward person. He has always been horrible at hiding anything, and he truly wanted to see Miss James again. Still, he felt the bluntness of what he just said broke the limit of what was meant to be comfortable. He should have said it more eloquently... His teeth grinded together behind his lips.

"I mean…of course… if that's okay with your governess…and…okay with you." He gazed at her face anxiously, hoping to God he just didn’t scare her away.

"Really?! That’s…great…that's……wonderful! I would be …delighted if you came to the shop."

Marie's face lit up in a simple but happy smile. Such things carried directly to her blue eyes, which lit up with said smile. He looked very pleased too, which only made Marie more and more conscious of her happiness. Elijah Brooks seemed like a wonderful individual -- one that Marie was sad that she had no met sooner. "Yes! I would like it very much.. to see.. you." The redheaded teen finished her sentence quietly, unsure that he had heard that last bit.

"Honestly…I would love to see you again."

If he had been anyone else. If this had been a different situation... Marie was sure that she would have been a bit intimidated by this. But Mr. Brooks, well.. he seemed so different. He was so amusing and sweet, Marie found herself completely enthralled in watching simply make conversation. She could only imagine how fond she could grow of him upon seeing him again. "You.. honestly?" Marie nearly whispered, dumfounded that anyone should like her enough to request a second visit.

"I mean…of course… if that's okay with your governess…and…okay with you." He gazed at her face anxiously, hoping to God he just didn’t scare her away.

"It would.." Marie trailed off, feeling rather thick in the head for not having an immediate answer for him. But it was the look on his face that had stopped her. A look so purely sweet that she had had to stop to make sure her heart was slowing down to a regular pace. "It is perfectly fine with me." Her blue eyes old him earnestly, a smile tugging at the right side of her lips. "You're a fine person, Mr. Brooks. At this very moment, if you could excuse my bravery, I doubt that there is anyone whom I should wish to see again, more than yourself." Marie told him, very impressed that she had managed to speak that boldly to someone. And it felt very good to her.. to speak like that. To say what she felt.

"It is perfectly fine with me."

Elijah slipped the ring back on his finger. His muscles relaxed as relief washed over him.

"You're a fine person, Mr. Brooks. At this very moment, if you could excuse my bravery, I doubt that there is anyone whom I should wish to see again, more than yourself."

At this, Elijah's eyebrows raised in slight disbelief. Never has a woman answered him so boldly. He appreciated it. He was attracted to it. It absolutely floored him and immediately all words were lost.

A silence came, but not the awkward kind that came previously. This one was more natural…caressed by the sound of a gentle wind.

His fingers raised…and landed on the tips of the camellia's petal. He stroked the flower, not daring to touch the delicate hand that held it. He wondered how exactly soft that hand is…and his eyes took wonder to the softness of her cheek. His gaze followed the tenderness of her neck…to the…

And Elijah glanced up. His face showed no signs of blushing, although he felt a fire burning beneath his skin. A gentle smile manifested upon his lips as he admired the brilliantly beautiful eyes she possessed...

Marie felt his eyes connect with hers, and she could not breathe. It was a strange sensation, but one that she wanted to hold onto for as long as she possibly could. His hand was very close to hers, but his fingers gently touched the camellia's petals. Marie could only wonder what the very same hands would feel like atop her skin. But she tried to focus more on her feelings at the moment than insanely personal thoughts. Elijah Brooks. Someone she had just met, and yet he was someone she found herself having a quiet connection to. Never had Marie James met someone that made her feel so intrigued, or so comfortable. It had always been people that expected nothing but propriety at every single second. It seemed somehow different in the presence of this man.

Marie's lips parted to speak, but she was brutally interupted in such a fine moment by Bertha, who had decided to join them in such a way that Marie knew she could get no more time with Elijah today. "My dear, it is growing far too late for you to be out and about. We must leave at once, if you want to be home in time for your dinner. I doubt your father would be pleased if you arrived late to the table?" Bertha asked in her clippy accent, giving a strange look to Mr. Elijah Brooks. Marie frowned delicately.

"She is right." Marie told him quietly, almost as if Bertha were no longer there. "Expect me to drop by your shop Mr. Brooks.. sometime soon." Her words were a bit swift, as her governess had now grasped gentle hold of her upper arm and was leading her away without another word to the red haired man standing before her. Marie began to back away, leaving him with the flower. "Tomorrow," She mouthed to him, before consenting to being dragged off. Now if she could only find a way to get out of the house without being noticed...

Her lips parted…what was she going to say? He waited…but the voice that reached his ears did not belong to her.

"My dear, it is growing far too late for you to be out and about. We must leave at once, if you want to be home in time for your dinner. I doubt your father would be pleased if you arrived late to the table?"

It was Bertha, and her timing was absolutely awful. It was going so well. Elijah fended off a wave of resentment, reasoning the expression on the governess's face was only out of love. He turned back to Marie.

"She is right. Expect me to drop by your shop Mr. Brooks.. sometime soon." Marie was now being dragged away and the distance was growing between them.

"Believe me, I will be looking forward to it," he responded to her somewhat hastily. His grasp tightened on the white camillia. A sweet memory.

Elijah caught her silent message before she was completely led off. He smiled sweetly as he waited for an extra moment before turning around to leave.

It was much later than he'd intended on staying out. It was time very well spent, to say the least, and he very much enjoyed his walk home.

(OOC: Next Post: Brooks Jewellers)

(ooc: next post in Brooks Jewelers.)