The Decision of Marriage.

[Opossum My Possum]

The day of the party was beautiful. It was Summer, so the temperature outside was a bit hotter than Atropa liked, but if you stayed inside, it wasn't so bad.
The windows and doors had been left open to let the slow breeze pass through, offering some relief from the heat. Outside, the sun was shining, and birds were singing, although you couldn't hear them over the music from the orchestra her parents had hired.
She wasn't quite sure how her parents had afforded the party, much less an orchestra and a new dress for her, but she didn't question it. It wasn't her place, after all.

The dress her parents had bought her was appropriate for Summer- made of cotton, with the sleeves off the shoulders, it was a light blue color with white flowers as a pattern.
Quite beautiful, even to her own tastes, but expensive.
She'd bathed and gotten dressed, not leaving her room until guests began to show up. She hadn't eaten anything all day, just so that she could eat in this dress. If she'd eaten at breakfast, she would have had to change from her night dress, and then to at least two other dresses. It was quite a pain to be a woman.

Although she knew this party was important, Atropa really didn't want to go. She wished her parents would just accept being poor- but of course not. Appearances were everything to them, and in order to continue their current standing in society, they needed to be married into a rich family.
This party was to bring single males to meet Atropa, and eventually set something up. However, Atropa's parents already had their eye on a young man named Edward Holmes, the son of the High Court Judge, someone very wealthy and respected.
Atropa had seen and met Edward twice already, and he seemed as excited about this whole affair as she was.
He was quite standoffish and quiet, which led to their parents being the main people contributing to the conversation.

Today was another excuse to put the two young adults together. Both set of parents hoped they would bond and agree to a marriage.
In reality, it didn't matter if they agreed, one way or another, Atropa would be married, whether it was to Edward or some other young man.

Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, Atropa left the safety of her bedroom to go to the party. She walked down the stairs, aware that everyone's eyes were on her, and people were whispering about her.
Her cheeks flushed pink, hopefully they weren't speaking badly of her.
Glancing up, she caught her mother's eye, and smiled. Her mother looked so happy it was hard not to.

When she finally reached the bottom of the stairs, her father was there with Edward, speaking of some business information and holding a glass with brown liquor in it.
"Oh! Atropa, there you are, dear!" Her father said with fake surprise. "I was just speaking to Edward here, but I believe your mother needs me. Please excuse me." As he left, he smiled tightly at her, letting her know that she needed to make a good impression.
Smiling awkwardly, Atropa wrung her hands together, looking for something to talk about.
"How have you been since I've last seen you, Edward?" She asked, deciding this was the easiest thing to ask and answer.

 

[Quiet Souris]

Edward Holmes knew why he was here, in his finest suit on a summers eve and attending a summer ball held by the parents of the woman they had decided he would marry.

The afternoon was still warm, though a breeze had begun to steal the muggy warmth of the afternoon, let in from the large French doors on either side of the hall. Edward had been drawn into a discussion with the girls' father about the state of affairs in London, from which he had presently returned and was quite loathe to leave in this season. He was approaching of a later age if marriage and as such, his parents had begun to set him up with several daughters of respectable families and high members of society for the choice of marriage.

He turned to see the dark haired woman in his thoughts, Atropa Trist. He had met her before at such affairs, before his mother had begun to press marriage for him and consequently removed any delight in such affairs for him.

He tipped his head and bid farewell to the hurried man he had been drawn into conversation with and bowed smartly to the dark haired beauty. While not conventionally beautiful, she was striking at least and that made for the difference. "It is most pleasant to make your acquaintance once again, Miss Trist. I have been well and attending to affairs in London over the past few months. And yourself? How goes affairs in Lanceston and I hope the health of your family is still in excellent form?"
It was a social exchange even his mother would be proud of and he inwardly sighed, truly wishing he was elsewhere but politely continuing to be civil. His parents wished for this match to work out, a good connection for a stronger influence- and it had been explained to him ad nauseam that his father always needed influence. The recent challenges against the High Court had been a tempest tough to weather and the influence of being tied to another, equally respectable family could only help his father.

But truly, Edward wanted nothing to do with a marriage. He did not have the patience for a wife, he had neither the need for nor the inclination towards marriage that he was presumed to envisage and employ in his daily life.