[2:48am] <14guard> **the house is quieter, peaceful as he walks through the sunlit corridors
13[2:48am] * @Morgan tries to find a servant
[2:49am] <14guard> **A young maid is sweeping in the ballroom
00[2:49am] <04@Morgan> excuse me... would you find Baroness Eldreich and let her know I'm in my office when she's ready
[2:50am] <14guard> *she curtsies and goes*
13[2:50am] * @Morgan goes in search of a servant to bring some coffee to his office before he goes to it
[2:51am] <14guard> **the coffee arrives, and a few minute later, there is a knock
00[2:51am] <04@Morgan> enter
08[2:51am] [2:51am] guard (~ident@host86-150-139-146.range86-150.btcentralplus.com) is now known as Alarice
13[2:52am] * Alarice comes in
13[2:52am] * @Morgan pours her a coffee before pouring his own
13[2:54am] * Alarice looks tired, wearing pale green, though softer, more approachable. Her hair is pulled gently back, but looser than normal
[2:54am] <14Alarice> Good morning
00[2:54am] <04@Morgan> you dont look like you slept well cousin
[2:54am] <14Alarice> I slept well but little
13[2:55am] * @Morgan nods
[2:56am] <14Alarice> And you, dear cousin?
13[2:56am] * @Morgan shrugs
00[2:56am] <04@Morgan> I think I got an hour or so
[2:56am] <14Alarice> Is that all?
13[2:56am] * Alarice looks surprised
13[2:57am] * @Morgan shrugs again
00[2:57am] <04@Morgan> I have trouble sleeping with strangers in the building
13[2:57am] * Alarice nods
[2:57am] <14Alarice> You wanted to see me?
00[2:58am] <04@Morgan> we arranged to speak this morning, to... see how things lay
13[2:58am] * Alarice watches him contritely
[2:59am] <14Alarice> We did
00[2:59am] <04@Morgan> so?
13[2:59am] * @Morgan sips his coffee, wincing as the cup touches his lip and again when he swallows
[3:00am] <14Alarice> I am still sorry. I have no desire to hurt or disappoint you
13[3:00am] * Alarice watches him
13[3:01am] * @Morgan nods
00[3:02am] <04@Morgan> nor I you. As I said, I truly am glad we've found a way to avoid that route of unpleasantness... though I will miss Varick greatly if he chooses to go with you
13[3:02am] * Alarice nods
[3:02am] <14Alarice> You will still see him often
00[3:03am] <04@Morgan> I'll be here permanently before long
[3:04am] <14Alarice> I hope so
13[3:04am] * Alarice smiles
00[3:06am] <04@Morgan> you'll be out sailing with Holzheim wont you?
13[3:06am] * Alarice looks at him mouth
[3:06am] <14Alarice> What has happened to your lip? Has someone hit you?
00[3:07am] <04@Morgan> a minor accident
[3:08am] <14Alarice> but you weren't slapped?
00[3:09am] <04@Morgan> slapped?
[3:09am] <14Alarice> hit
00[3:09am] <04@Morgan> who do you think slapped me?
[3:10am] <14Alarice> I don't, but a split lip lends itself to having mean a fighting wound
13[3:11am] * @Morgan smiles
00[3:11am] <04@Morgan> no, no, just a mishap
13[3:13am] * Alarice smiles back
[3:13am] <14Alarice> what were you saying?
00[3:14am] <04@Morgan> I was enquiring as to whether you'd be sailing with Holzheim
13[3:14am] * Alarice shrugs
[3:14am] <14Alarice> I don't know
00[3:15am] <04@Morgan> I dont think you'll enjoy it
[3:15am] <14Alarice> No?
00[3:15am] <04@Morgan> you'll get really tired of fish
13[3:16am] * Alarice smiles
[3:16am] <14Alarice> I'm sure the right company could persuade me
00[3:16am] <04@Morgan> and I suspect it'd make the arrangements for the 'close friends' a little awkward
13[3:16am] * Alarice nods
[3:16am] <14Alarice> Perhaps
00[3:17am] <04@Morgan> and sailors run out of child and lady suitable stories very very quickly
13[3:18am] * Alarice looks at him intently
[3:18am] <14Alarice> You wish I was not going?
00[3:19am] <04@Morgan> I wish we didn't have to dance around eachother
[3:20am] <14Alarice> I don't understand
00[3:20am] <04@Morgan> it always seems we're trying to wheedle information out of eachother witout saying what we mean
[3:21am] <14Alarice> Then say what you mean.
00[3:21am] <04@Morgan> ask what you mean
[3:22am] <14Alarice> Do you object to my relationship with Grendlik?
13[3:22am] * Alarice watches him
00[3:23am] <04@Morgan> yes, I do
[3:24am] <14Alarice> Why?
00[3:25am] <04@Morgan> because you deserve better, you can do better
[3:26am] <14Alarice> What makes you think so?
13[3:27am] * @Morgan shrugs
00[3:27am] <04@Morgan> he wont treat you properly
[3:27am] <14Alarice> based upon?
13[3:28am] * Alarice watches him intently as she sips her coffee
13[3:28am] * @Morgan frowns
00[3:28am] <04@Morgan> basd upon nothing but my gut feeling
13[3:29am] * Alarice nods
[3:30am] <14Alarice> He does love me
00[3:31am] <04@Morgan> no doubt... as he no doubt loves many others
13[3:31am] * Alarice looks wounded
[3:31am] <14Alarice> No
13[3:33am] * @Morgan shrugs
00[3:33am] <04@Morgan> I'm not going to be able to change your mind
[3:34am] <14Alarice> I want to know why you think that
00[3:35am] <04@Morgan> he's not good enough for you... and you're settling for something just because you've been through it before
00[3:35am] <04@Morgan> I've been shot before, but I wouldn't settle for it again
13[3:35am] * Alarice nods slightly
[3:36am] <14Alarice> I can understand your reasoning. I think you're wrong that he loves others.
00[3:37am] <04@Morgan> perhaps, but I dont think that necessarily matters. His taking others to his bed while you are married is wrong, and trying to arrange it before you're even wed is disgusting
13[3:37am] * Alarice blinks
[3:37am] <14Alarice> What?
13[3:38am] * @Morgan bites his lip, then winces, drawing a sharp breath as the pain flares
13[3:38am] * Alarice watches him
00[3:38am] <04@Morgan> you said yourself that he's already speaking of taking ''close friends'
[3:39am] <14Alarice> You said he was 'trying to arrange it'. What did you mean?
00[3:39am] <04@Morgan> thats what he was doing by already deciding that it could start immediately since you have an heir
13[3:40am] * Alarice watches him very intently, scrutinising his expression
13[3:41am] * @Morgan checks to see if his lip has started bleeding because of his chewing it
[3:42am] <14Alarice> *it has, slightly*
00[3:42am] <04@Morgan> damn
[3:42am] <14Alarice> What aren't you telling me?
00[3:42am] <04@Morgan> quite a lot
00[3:43am] <04@Morgan> nah
00[3:43am] <04@Morgan> ((oops))
[3:43am] <14Alarice> why not?
00[3:43am] <04@Morgan> because you wnt like it
13[3:43am] * Alarice sighs
[3:43am] <14Alarice> Tell me.
00[3:44am] <04@Morgan> he's already approached an engaged woman, making enquiries as to her potential availability
13[3:44am] * Alarice looks thoughtful, as if checking off a list
[3:44am] <14Alarice> The only woman here who is engaged is Molly.
13[3:45am] * @Morgan watches her
13[3:45am] * Alarice 's expression darkens slightly
[3:45am] <14Alarice> I knew there was a spark between them, but didn't expect him to approach her.
13[3:46am] * @Morgan wipes at his lip
[3:46am] <14Alarice> How did you discover this?
00[3:47am] <04@Morgan> she told me
13[3:47am] * Alarice frowns
[3:47am] <14Alarice> Right. And she rebuked him?
00[3:48am] <04@Morgan> I dont think she realised what he was asking
13[3:48am] * Alarice looks suprised
[3:48am] <14Alarice> Really, I can not imagine anyone _not_ comprehending
13[3:49am] * @Morgan shrugs
00[3:49am] <04@Morgan> he works like I do... questions his way around the subject before he asks anything relevant
13[3:49am] * Alarice nods briefly
[3:49am] <14Alarice> What will you do about it?
13[3:50am] * @Morgan looks at her
00[3:50am] <04@Morgan> he's your betrothed... you deal with it.
[3:51am] <14Alarice> We are not officially betrothed. I need to know from him whether this was entirely intentional, or whether he thought it was something she wanted.
13[3:51am] * @Morgan raises an eyebrow
13[3:52am] * Alarice watches him directly
00[3:52am] <04@Morgan> dont be stupid
[3:52am] <14Alarice> You have seen them together, have you not?
00[3:53am] <04@Morgan> of couse
[3:53am] <14Alarice> Then you can see that they are close, and greatly enjoy each other's company
00[3:54am] <04@Morgan> Flirting with someone is tantamount to "I want to be your mistress" is it?
[3:55am] <14Alarice> No, but it is easy to misinterpret, especially when you are the only object of such
00[3:55am] <04@Morgan> meaning?
[3:56am] <14Alarice> He might have been confused that Lady Forrester spends more time in his company than yours, and certain they flirt together more than you and she do
13[3:56am] * @Morgan folds his arms
00[3:56am] <04@Morgan> and when you come to your senses, you'll apologise for that
[3:58am] <14Alarice> I am not trying to imply that she cares more for him than you, just that to an outsider, your relationship could potentially seem a little distant. I do not mean to disparage her virtue, not at all
00[3:58am] <04@Morgan> and aside from that... its not the done thing to take a partner when you're married... and much much less so to approach someone not even married yet
13[3:58am] * @Morgan snorts
00[3:58am] <04@Morgan> you can thank my father for that appearance
13[3:58am] * Alarice frowns
[3:59am] <14Alarice> why?
00[3:59am] <04@Morgan> we're under orders
[3:59am] <14Alarice> to barely speak?
00[3:59am] <04@Morgan> to be prim and proper...
13[3:59am] * Alarice smiles a little
[4:00am] <14Alarice> Oh dear, I remember that... It's intensely frustrating
00[4:00am] <04@Morgan> quite
[4:00am] <14Alarice> Hard to think of anything else, isn't it?
13[4:00am] * Alarice smiles
00[4:01am] <04@Morgan> you become practiced at it once you've been onboard ship with dozens of other men all trying not to think of the same thing
13[4:01am] * Alarice shrugs a little
00[4:01am] <04@Morgan> either way... his approaching her in such a manner is bad taste at best and fatal at worst
[4:02am] <14Alarice> I'll speak with him about his choice of potential friends
13[4:02am] * @Morgan shakes his head
13[4:03am] * Alarice watches him
00[4:03am] <04@Morgan> you're making a bad choice
13[4:03am] * Alarice shrugs
[4:03am] <14Alarice> We'll see. Perhaps things will turn out exactly as I intend
00[4:03am] <04@Morgan> and how do you intend?
13[4:04am] * Alarice smiles
[4:05am] <14Alarice> That I'll be happy, that Varick and I will become his family. That, in time, his thoughts of the other women he's cared for will be a distant memory.
00[4:05am] <04@Morgan> we'll see
13[4:05am] * Alarice finishes her coffee
[4:06am] <14Alarice> We definately will cousin, we definately will
13[4:06am] * Alarice looks at his broken lip
[4:06am] <14Alarice> You ought to have someone look at that, Morgan
00[4:06am] <04@Morgan> and do what to it?
[4:07am] <14Alarice> Whatever it takes to make it better
13[4:07am] * @Morgan nods
00[4:07am] <04@Morgan> no doubt my father wll insist on just that
[4:07am] <14Alarice> I doubt I can help, but if I can, I'll be in my room
13[4:08am] * @Morgan nods
13[4:08am] * Alarice stands up
13[4:08am] * @Morgan follows suit
13[4:09am] * Alarice comes to his side, and curtsies
[4:09am] <14Alarice> Dear cousin