In The Backalley's Of Whitechapel Road.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Running through the streets had once been hard on the young woman's feet but now it had slowly become a reality so over the weeks of her gradual urbanisation her once dainty soles became coarser and ashen as the streets. Her dress unused to such harsh movement was getting thread bare, but she knew better to than to change it for it enabled her hiding space if needed for her locket and important papers. More importantly her daemon if she'd had one.

Her companion, Anquorn was currently asleep where she'd left it in the small shelter with the little girl Rosa as a promise to return with the bread from the bakery three blocks away. However, without him she felt a sense of loss and confusion, not least because she did not have a map . But now was not the time for pity.

To her, London looked its grimmest now, just before noon when the sun was high and the smog became unbearable.

Pausing for breath she looked around her, she was in a low alley at the backs of some slum. Despite her hardening sense of character she still felt herself shudder. A woman slumped at a doorway nursing a baby however she could. "Please Miss," she asked, "Please a coin to fetch some milk and cheese for my young on' " Emmalena hesitated, she knew the money she had was running out but there was a sadness in the woman's eyes, her baby looked so pale it could have been a ghost.

As her hand reached into the folds of her dress for her leather purse; the woman's daemon - a small white llama reared in fright.

A shadow had fallen upon the outcrop of the building. Not uncommon for this time of day, but as she made to move she felt something sharp in her back and a voice that sounded like the depths of a cave. "One move and I'll slit your pretty neck!"

Concern gripping her, her eyes turned to the woman her voice hoarse with fear "Run." But the woman was not there, instead the woman was standing, tossing the bundle of the 'baby' like a rag.

"Useless doll!" she spat tearing off her bonnet and trampling on it, before turning to Emmalena and squaring her face to the young lady's. This time it was colder, meaner, more masculine but more pointed and shrewd - the voice like a weasel.

"Bandits." Emmalena whispered more to herself than to anyone. Cruelly the bandit smiled and she felt a pair of arms from behind her hold her closer to a very broad alcohol smelling chest.

"If you prefer." said the voice, both seemed to chuckle. The larger one holding her continued. "Now, what to do with a pretty lit'le thing like you? eh?!"

She felt him turn her as if she were no more than a child, cursing inwardly her disadvantaged weight. "Let me go!" she spat "Or I'll..." but a large hand tore off her words, slapping her sharply still half holding onto her, she was paralysed however by the knife in her back and the realisation that this was happening. Meanwhile the other man came towards her, he was unbuttoning his trousers, his grin sinister, wave upon wave of helplessness hit her.



"Don't cry little girl!" the brute said looking at her. "You knew this was coming didn't you?"

Emmalena looked at him, her eyes were blazing, how dare they say that she was crying. She had not allowed herself tears since she had left home, but sure enough the tears were falling down her cheeks.

"There's no need to cry." The man said again, he was touching her now, his foul fingers stroking and cupping her jaw as if he were going to kiss her. "Because there's no escape...."

[ulricvonkatz]

Ulric was walking through Whitechapel Road, cautiously aware of the pressure of the City around him. He frequently tried to come this way, through the slums, to see if anyone needed helping. It was extremely dangerous, but he had learned the hard way many times before how to handle himself. Normally he'd just go to the Church and back, keeping an eye on his Philanthropic investments, and catch up on the latest rumours and gossip. It paid to be well informed about what was going on in the Slums- He had long ago learned that, if he was to truly call himself a man and help alleviate the suffering of others, he'd also have to be aware of crime and social disorders, which seemed to teem alongside poverty and disease, malignant infestations all.

He had been slowly building a network of contacts, people he felt he could trust amongst the lower orders to give him accurate information about the ebb and flow within the undersociety that permeated places like Whitechapel. Prostitutes, Muggers, Fences, Burglars, Pickpockets, Coach-Robbers, Smugglers, Counterfeiters, Bootleggers... the list went on. Every kind of larceny and penury imaginable could be found somewhere in the maze of London. It was his self-appointed mission to untangle this Spider's Web, and try and find some way, any way, of giving those less fortunate than him a better life.

It was with these worries and reflections that he stepped into a side alley, not really looking quite where he was going, and he heard the sharp and alarming cry of a woman in distress.

Stirring beside him, his Daemon, the white tiger Elai'syra, began to growl low. Trouble was definitely ahead. Clutching his cane, he began to run towards the sound of distress. A crime was almost certainly in progress.

Skidding around the corner on the slick, worn cobblestones, he almost collided into one of the thugs crowding around a distressed young woman. He could smell the cheap gin wafting off of their ragged, filthy clothes, and he curled his lip in distaste. Gutter scum, of the lowest sort, and utterly inebriated, too.

As they turned to face this unexpected newcomer, he acted immediately, not giving them time to think or react. He swung his wooden cane up with sudden force, smashing the nearest vagabond across the face, causing him to reel and cry out in agony. "Elai! protect the Woman!" he called out, and his Daemon sprung into action, leaping between the astonished thugs, and placing herself between them and their intended prey.

He ducked a clumsy punch thrown at him, and smashed in under the extended arm with his shoulder, slamming the hefty thug aside. As he did so, he brought his cane up again, and used it to block a sudden attack by the knife wielder.
"We'll gut you!" the thug sneered, and his daemon hissed.

"Not likely." he replied through gritted teeth, as he sidestepped away from the thug he had been shoulder-barging, and, rolling to the left, ducked another wild swing by the knife. Ignoring the pain in his wrist, he once again swung his cane, this time at the knife-man, but failed to connect. The other thugs, meanwhile, were regrouping.

"Not to worry, miss. I can handle this." he said, smiling. "Elai! go for the throat!"

The daemon purred with evident pleasure at the command. "As you wish." she said, silkily, and, roaring, leapt full at the knife-man.

At the same time, he swung his cane hard at the man's arm, who, predictably, was trying to bring it up to ward off the tiger now leaping into his face. The cane smashed the knife from his hands, and he went down with a gurgling cry, as his own daemon tried vainly to grapple with the tiger.

The other thugs quickly lost their nerve, realising they were outmatched. "We'll be back, with more friends." One of them sneered.

Turning, and brushing himself down, He checked once over the remaining thugs. "Elai, you can let him go now. I have the knife." With evident reluctance, the tiger returned to him, circling around his legs.

"Why don't you go follow your friends, Scum, and think twice about bothering young women." he said with dripping disdain.

The thug looked at him with utter contempt and burning hatred. "I'll get you for this, you rich bastard." the man spat.
He slowly clambered to his feet, and, looking around, and seeing Ulric standing ready with knife and cane, decided to make haste.

Once all was clear, he threw the disgusting blade away, into the streaming gutter.

"Are you alright, Madam?" he said, turning to the frightened young woman he had just rescued.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Emmalena had kept her eyes closed for some time now, so clearly afraid of the riff raff that pressed on her from all sides and thus the sounds that suddenly cornered her did nothing but add to her unease. Trembling she longed to sink into the confines of oblivion, it would be so easy to faint. Then at least she would not feel the pain. Inwardly she cursed herself for telling Anquorn to not come after her unless absolutely necessary. "Fool." she whispered to herself as the rearing and rambling noises crescendoed and clapped about her like thunder.

But even as she slumped towards the ground she felt a pair of arms encircle her, whimpering she whispered again knowing in her gut it was probably the end, the cool kindly voice however took her off guard and steadily she opened her eyes.

There before her with sandy blonde hair was a young man slightly older than herself, with a gentle and pleasing though slightly foreign accent. Hastily she gathered herself, hiding the flush of colour that now arose on her cheeks and gave a small bow of gratitude.

"Thank you, Sir." she said softly keeping her voice low though unable to mask her lilt of melody and the Gaelic undertones she had gained from her mother. He had warm blue eyes which seemed to smile though they were concerned right now alongside the eyes of a white tiger, no taller than a man now softly purring as it placed a comforting paw on his arm as it stood on its hind legs. "I'm fine sir."

Keen to busy herself she bent to the street hastily picking her ribbons and pins which had fallen from her hair in the scuffle, brushing off the dirt as best she could from her dress - there was a seam which had come loose, she would have to try to sew it. Again she felt a pang of helplessness that she had never been able to sew, although she reminded herself there was plenty she had learnt to do in the time she'd been here.

Her skin glistened like the white of the snow that gripped the edges of the ground and her long tawny brown hair waved and curled around her face and small but pointy ears crowning her unusually sapphired eyes and the ever growing blush as the young man continued to stare.



Hastening to her pocket she reached for her pouch. "Oh, forgive me." she said softly, it would be best in these situations if she were not followed and he had been good to her. "How much do I owe you?" She sighed inwardly at how thin the pouch was getting, reminding of her all she had run from.

Part of her, the more selfish side or at least Anquorn had bemoaned her choice of leaving, constantly reminding her of the soft goose feather and cotton bed and the warm blazing fire which Bessie the maid always stacked high. Or the tenderly carved mutton. Soon it would be Christmas, there would be presents around the tree, songs, laughter... no she shook her head to stop the images as quickly as they came. There was no laughter since her mother and sisters had died.

Shaking her head again she turned to the man, did he sense her trouble? She reached out his hand grasping it and held out the pouch. "Please, tell me how much I owe you Sir?"

[ulricvonkatz]

He smiled kindly as he helped the poor woman to her feet, whilst inwardly he raged. How much suffering must this woman have endured, he wondered, that her first reaction would be to try and pay him?

"No, I couldn't possibly accept anything. It was no more than any real man would do under the circumstances." he said, firmly but politely. He found himself gazing into her deep, sorrowful and soul-filled eyes. He found himself being moved deeply by her plight, but also by...an inner quality she seemed to possess. Though threadbare, dirty, and clearly shaking from her ordeal, he could see, somehow, deep within her, a vibrant passion for life, long suppressed, and that there was clearly more to this woman than the sum of her ills.

"Are you able to walk? If your still unsettled by the encounter with those...ruffians, I can walk you to a cab. Do you live near here?" he found himself uneasy about lingering near here, knowing that the thugs were still out there, and could come back at anytime.

"What is your name, young miss?" he asked, as he helped her out of the alleyway, supporting her with his arm, tucking his cane under the other, Elai'Syra padding along behind him. "Did you leave your daemon at home? Its alright, theyll be fine once they see you are alright." He said, soothingly. As he guided her back into the main streets, he shivered, as a cold wind blew along the hard road. It was a bleak winter, he reflected, and he wondered just where this woman was living, and how long she could survive in the cold without risking pneumonia.

"Where abouts do you live, miss?" he said. "I might have to escort you there, if those vagabonds are still on the prowl."

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

She smiled, slightly dazed. Here was a gentleman, a kindly man of good breeding. Sometimes as she'd watched them from a distance she had often asked herself if she had stayed, which man would have taken her for his wife.

Although she felt largely unhurt she was moved by his warmth and kindness to him. "Please sir," she said softly, "I will be fine I was on an errand to fetch bread for one of the orphans, my daemon is with her." Freezing she covered her mouth, didn't she know anything by now? This was the city and whilst he might be helping her he was still a stranger. He could still hurt her or worse be in contact with her father.

She knew and had observed, particularly when she had first run that her father had placed multiple advertisements searching for her and demanding her return. But after awhile they started to die away, it was more for show than care. Looking to the young man however, something in the calmness of his eyes suggested she could trust him. "My name is Emmalena, Emmalena Ellis." she told him, trying to remember that her full title was now of little use, no Lady Emmalena Louisa Ellis must remain unuttered particularly in these dark streets, though the name Ellis was common enough she mused.

As they reached the former street she noticed the child had gone, Anquorn lay dozing on a step but upon seeing her he was up immediately and ran to her. "Are you hurt?" he asked nudging her with his muzzle before noting the slight low growl from behind them. Taking in man and tiger he enquired. "And who might they be?"

Emmalena smiled, determined to remain cheerful she truly hated to be a burden. "Friends Anquorn, friends." She said it twice making sure that it sunk into his gorgeous eyes, "Allow me to introduce uhhhh..." She stopped turning to the young man for help, a clue an embarrassed laugh slipping through her soft pink lips.

[ulricvonkatz]

Ulric surveyed his location, and was dismayed indeed to see that such a lovely maiden could live somewhere so...decrepit and rundown. He cast his eye critically over the leaky drainpipe, splattering water of a distinctly brownish hue running freely across the cold grey cobbles. He shivered, and not because of the cold wind that was blowing freely across this wider area. It wasn't a surprise as such, but always a part deep inside him churned with...pity? sympathy? empathy? He knew that much less separated him from people like this deep-eyed woman than his clothing and accent conveyed. Sometimes he felt like a fraud, deliberately putting on a part for a society he did not truly feel a part of. Other times, he burned with indignation and sought to make this society worthy of him, rather than the other way round.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself." he said with a smile. "Ulric. Von Katz. Pleased to meet your acquaintance." he said, with a flourish, finding himself suddenly awkward and blushing. Why had he given her his real name? Something about her innocent, yet world-weary, gaze compelled him to be honest about himself and his intentions, despite the fact that she was a stranger.

He stood, for a few moments, unable to think of anything to say. A gentle nudge by Elai'syra brought him back to reality. She had always been a lifesaver in social situations like this, not surprisingly.

"Listen, Is there anything more I can do for you, young woman? You must be awfully unsettled after such a gross encounter." He found himself fumbling in his jacket, looking for paper and his purse. A gentleman did not normally- should not normally- carry money on his person, but as a self-professed professional Philanthropist he always carried some loose change. "At least allow me to buy you something warm to eat on this cold and dreary day...." feeling lost and on the right track, and increasingly aware of the awkwardness of the situation and of his continuing delay in being in this ethereal, enchanting woman's presence, he found himself procrastinating, strangely and unconsciously unwilling to depart.

"Well, um, if you need anything more, please don't hesitate to seek out my friends at this address. Tell them you know me and present this card to them and they will happily assist you in finding work or anything else you might need." He found himself blushing intensely here, feeling keenly aware of the social gulf between them, of just how much indebted this woman would be to him, and he found himself railing inwardly against a society that made it so difficult for him to communicate his desire to assisst without seeming like a complete buffoon.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Nervously she took the card quietly and slipped it into the folds of her dress. Her daemon sniffed the tiger then smiled satisfied, in turn the tiger purred she did not seem to mind the fox by the lady on the contrary she found him comical, kindly even, like the lady whom Ulric seemed so calm with.

Emmalena looked at Ulric again, How nice she mused to have a home and friends her hair blew with the wind and she shivered slightly. "There is no need to give me anything sir. Your heroic act was more than I could have asked or deserved. "I'd offer you some tea sir but I've since run out. Unless you like hot water?" she smiled a little shyly as she moved into the small room she was keeping. She shouldn't keep him here. He might soon ask her questions and she was keenly aware of Anquorn tugging on her ankles like a cat hoping she'd brought back some food. The two of them were thin now, Emmalena often wondered if she dared remove her corset if she would even need it. Her bones had started to stick out from lack of food and she struggled to breathe at intervals - particularly when the Northern Wind was at its strongest.

She dared not admit it to herself but she secretly knew that if he had not come she might have died. Noticing he was hesitating she smiled weakly hiding her blush and focused her efforts on the cane beside him. "How unusual." she said softly, "To see a cane of both ivory and mahogany with the tradesman-ship of wheedled silver." Blushing again she covered her mouth. What if she had blown her cover? She dared not look him in the eye for fear the kindness would be replaced by cruel suspicion.

[ulricvonkatz]

He was startled by her sudden in-depth knowledge, and he regarded his cane oddly, as if it was in conspiracy against him. Blinking, he could feel his Demon beside him, equally intrigued and curious.

"Thats...amazing." he said, feeling offput and more nervous than before. "How do you know so much about canes?" He could see that his questions and manner were frightening the girl, however, and he tried to soften his tone as much as possible. Clearly being on the street had made her a very skittish person, and he would have to handle this situation with care to prevent her from simply running off or calling for the police.

"Listen, if you know something about the making of canes or woodwork or, or, those are skills. You needn't starve on the street." he cursed himself inwardly for his directness, a ore blunt and honest tack of inquiry than he had intended to take. "I...I know some people who run a work exchange. Not a workhouse! Its just, you turn up, and work with other craftspeople, and you get paid a set amount, along with some food." In truth the work exchange was some distance from here, and run by wealthy Philanthropists trying to re-employ Craftsmen put out of work by the Mills. The emphasis being on Craftsmen. He don't know why his mind had jumped to such a long shot, but he felt like it was the right approach to take, and that somehow, he'd be able to forge a connection.

"Ah, there's also more..traditional work available. The owners there...they need maids and things too." It was a lame and awkward conclusion, and he could feel her trust in him dimming.

"Perhaps we ought to go inside and discuss this more fully." he decided. "It is cold indeed out here, and I shall take you up on that offer of hot water." he chuckled. He felt control of the situation re-asserting itself. His Demon purred approvingly. Elai'syra had always acted as something of a consultant and mentor to him.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Emmalena shuddered inwardly and gave a look to Anquorn warning him to try not to give them away with any yelp of displeasure. He had meant well by his statement and any street girl she knew would be grateful for his offer. She was no longer, as she was forced to admit to herself no longer a lady of class, although her heart stung to acknowledge herself an urchin.

"Well." she said softly pouring him the water as best she could trying to quell her now physical and mental shaking. "I may as well be honest sir. I know of canes through my father. Sir Elwood James Ellis, Gentleman, Esq. of Hertfordshire. He is very well known in Parliament and has a regular box at the Angel Road Theatre." She was rambling and she knew it, she felt heat gathering in her cheeks. "I learnt about canes when a man came to the door with them before he entered my father's study."

Her brain buzzed, never had she told anyone since her departure of her father, intimacy she had believed had been carefully crafted behind a door. Only somehow his deep blue eyes had broken the lock awakening her with a sense of both confidentially and confusion.

Quickly she lifted the pot and poured the water again idly stirring at it with a small spoon in a vain bid to distract herself. "Careful sir, it's very hot." She said her voice giving out a small trembling quiver - it seemed quite lucky that none had spilled, though right now she would have welcomed the further diversion.

[ulricvonkatz]

He nearly choked on the hot water as he began to sip it, her words washing over him and shattering every pre-conception he had about the situation, about his awkwardness, about everything. He dropped the cup, but Elai'syra caught it deftly and gently in her jaws, showing more presence of mind than he was right now.

He sat back, physically stunned. This woman...was..could she be telling the truth? It seemed almost too much, and his mind was afire with speculation, ideas, counter-guesses and suggestions. He opened his mouth, but the words died on his tongue, as a hundred contradictions erased whatever he had wanted to say. After about a minute, realising the awkwardness of the silence, and with his brain still churning, he settled on the underwhelming and slightly pathetic: "I see."

He gazed into her azure, trusting eyes, feeling a weight of immense trust, unconditional empathy and...possibly the stirrings of something else, infinitely more complex and deep. Another word surfaced from the cauldron of his mind, forcing itself from idea to reality. "W-why tell me all this?" he said nervously, the weight of the situation slowly easing and allowing him to recover from his mental paralysis.

"The Sir James Elwood? But he's a wealthy man..." instantly he stopped himself, knowing he had offended, and sensing that she was flinching under the weight of his nervous queries as if they were angry blows.

"Forgive me, but, you greatly startled me." He forced himself to speak on, to ignore the burning of his cheeks, the goosebumps on the back of his neck and the strongly ingrained social instinct to simply run away and shutup. It was a deeply uncomfortable situation, but he had endured worse, he told himself. A foreigner of mixed-parentage, he had spent much of his youth struggling to earn a living, to reclaim what was his by birthright, and to adapt and survive in foreign lands whose languages he had not initially spoken.

"I appreciate your eye for canes, miss, however the knowledge came about." he said, fidgeting in his chair. "Perhaps you need my help more than I realised." he said, swallowing, understating the situation as every true Englishman is want to do.

"How...How did you come to be here?"

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Aghast at her own revelation and the unease that now brewed before them it was Anquorn who found himself able to speak for the pair. "Lady Emmalena chose to leave her father's house sir." He yawned slightly and curled up like a little cat nonplussed by the fear from his companion.

Slowly she nodded and faced Ulric weakly. "My father and I parted on inconscolable conflict. I am on my own but quite at ease with the situation. When money allows I aid others and I am paid well." She noticed her voice was trembling and slightly trebled. "You probably will want to leave." She continued, finally resolved. "Let me get the door." Casting her eyes on the floor she whispered. "I wanted someone to trust me."

Tears threatened to well themselves from her eyes but she forced them back keeping her voice low so she hoped he could not hear her inner thoughts. "I wanted to not be alone."

[ulricvonkatz]

Aghast at her own revelation and the unease that now brewed before them it was Anquorn who found himself able to speak for the pair. "Lady Emmalena chose to leave her father's house sir." He yawned slightly and curled up like a little cat nonplussed by the fear from his companion.

Slowly she nodded and faced Ulric weakly. "My father and I parted on inconscolable conflict. I am on my own but quite at ease with the situation. When money allows I aid others and I am paid well." She noticed her voice was trembling and slightly trebled. "You probably will want to leave." She continued, finally resolved. "Let me get the door." Casting her eyes on the floor she whispered. "I wanted someone to trust me."

Tears threatened to well themselves from her eyes but she forced them back keeping her voice low so she hoped he could not hear her inner thoughts. "I wanted to not be alone."


He felt his heart lurch, and sweat beaded on his brow. How had he been so blind? He was apalled at his own lack og grace and inability to speak or act appropriately in this situation. But, he realised, there was no appropriate response to this situation. His Mind issued conflicting orders with his Heart.

He couldn't bear the tragedy of seeing so beautiful a woman cry, though. And it was this that shattered his reason and forced him towards pure compassion, conventions be damned.

"You are not alone, Emmalena." he said, boldly, simply, moving to her, carefully offering his hankerchief to help dry her eyes, aware of the closing distance between them and the heightened, some might say inappropriate, intimacy.

"I too, once lived like this. I have had my differences with my family. My Uncle was- is- a cruel and ruthless man, and in my journey away from him I had to endure much." He wasn't sure why he was opening his past- long sealed within him- to this woman, but he knew that if he did not share some of his pain, he could never hope to ease hers, or prevent her from befalling a worse tragedy if he should leave her alone out here.

"I...I do not want to leave someone who has walked a path similar to mine, who has endured the worst ignominy." He forced himself to smile, comfortingly. "I cannot help but repay someone who so kindly shared hot water with me." he said, weakly trying to restore some humour to this dreary scene, aware of the clinging cold outside, and how easy it would be for a frail girl such as this to die of so many things.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

As rapidly as a brick falls to the ground and crumbles so did the tension - a smile returned to the young lady's face flushing it in a warm pink colour as she saw he too was smiling and stifling a laugh. Anquorn perking up his head looked at the two quizzically then to the white tiger. Sensing there was no ease between their companions he picked up an old tethered bone he had been keeping and passed it to her "Nya, share it." he said gently hoping she would not take it all in her large white pearly jaws.

Emmalena looked at them idly trying to busy herself and hide the colour on her cheeks before turning to her bonnet which she had left on the table in her hurry to leave that morning, her shabby dress and cloak were slowly loosing their rich hues of colour and here and there they were caked in layers of mud and soot. Her once pretty hair was getting tangled and wild - how Bessie would lament if she saw it now and tried to comb it. Oh Bessie she mused Would you recognise me now?

Lifting the hankerchief she daintly brushed it over her eyes marvelling at the softness of the satin - a touch she had so long forced herself to forget. Ulric she noted was watching her probably awaiting an answer. "Very well." she said at last. watching him teasingly from the corner of her eye, keeping her voice very matter of fact. "You may buy me a library of mahogany inlaid with rosewood and books with bindings of fine green leather."

A sharp thud made her turn quickly as she found him now dazed in a faint on the floor. "Oh, Mr Von Katz, Ulric." she said urgently and softly lifting him as best he could and dabbing his brow with his handkerchief. "Are you al-right? Mr Ulric sir."

Her wide blue eyes peered at him softly as she gripped his hand in hers as if willing it to bring him round her voice getting almost shrill with fear. "I'm sorry sir, I'm sorry please wake up Mr Ulric sir."

[ulricvonkatz]

As he stirred from his sudden faint, he felt blood rushing into his cheeks, thoroughly embarassed about his reaction. As memory swirled back to him, he realised he had something of a headache. "Ah...." he said, rising from the cold, hard floor. He looked across, blinking, the dimming light coming clearer into focus. He looked around, and Elai'Syra was sat in the corner of the room, chewing a bone, looking at him pityingly. "I told you you needed to eat more often." she said with a sigh.

He sat up, and could see that Emmalena had brought some cloth, which she had soaked in the Hot Water. "You're awake now, Mr.Katz?" she said with concern.

"Ah, yes." He said, feeling the flush of crimson shame again. It had been...most odd. A Day so full of drama, and yet, somehow, she had overwhelmed his hardened senses with her sudden, dramatic shift from heartbreakingly melancholy young woman in dire need to an upbeat, joking gentlewoman of comparable class to him. The shift in perspectives had unnerved his already unbalanced constitution, and he had fallen, fainted like some swooning maiden from a penny dreadful.

"I cannot apologise enough, miss Emmalena...I have clearly distressed you." He said, trying to gather the threads of his thoughts once more.
"Nonetheless, I believe I can help you, if not quite in the manner you might suggest." he said, coughing.

"It is getting late, and my friends are no doubt wondering where I am. Perhaps I ought to introduce you to them. I am currently living in the company of a fine Business Lawyer, and I work with a Philanthropy club. Perhaps one or the other can help us find a way to aid you, though you might have to wait on the Library." he said with a weak attempt at a smile.

He found himself warming quickly to this strange, multifaceted girl, who seemed so ethereal, melancholy and yet beautiful the one moment and so full of life, sharp wit and joie de vivre the next. She was, he mused, a much more complex prospect than he had first assumed.

[Emmalena Louisa Ellis]

Lowering her head Emmalena caught Anquorn's sapphire eyes and suppressed a sigh. "I'm afraid Mr Ulric Sir that will not be possible. I... I have to keep low." She began her improvisation, hoping hope against hope he would not notice. "My father is still looking for me and I fear the mass attention may somewhat draw him to me." She felt the stare of Ulric on her back as she turned and picked up her cloak tugging on the seams of it idly. "But thank you for the card, if I may I shall call on you or write you."

Despite the half lie she could not quite conceal the fact to herself that she had enjoyed his company and would enjoy to meet with him again. However she was quite sure she would not. He was probably engaged or would soon be. Good looking men like ... Gracious when did she find him a match? She paused her quivering thoughts and looked to him with her soft blue eyes and a faint pink tint that failed to leave her cheeks.

"I wish you a pleasant night Mr Ulric Sir, may the Lord keep you from the bitter cold." So saying she opened the door for him shivering slightly as the icy wind blew around it as though excited in the prospect of closing it again. Curtesy, though rarely needed by someone of low contact as she, prevented her from ramming her hands in the folds of her dress to warm them; although they felt bitterly cold and she fancied one of her fingers would soon turn bluer then her eyes. But nothing, she thought as she turned to him, nothing was as blue as his eyes. Nor as crimson that adorned her face like thickly pasted rouge.