Februayr 12th, 1891 — de Montfault Theatre (High Street, Hogsmeade)

Attendance at the theatre was seldom for the love of the music. 


For Ginevra however, it rather was.  She loved music, her mood could almost be dictated by music that surrounded her.  It was, perhaps, why she enjoyed balls with such gusto - lively music, jolly or romantic airs to move her mood with the violinists bow.  As a young lady of breeding she could discuss, with all feminine grace, the nuances and intricacy of music and musical composition, how the melody, tone, or harmony affected music, but there was more than that, there was a magic to music that was lost on many people.  And the lobby of the theatre with the familiar airs floating from the closed doors of theatre proper was the perfect place to spend some time with those who, perhaps, enjoyed such things in the same way she did.    Which explained why she had spent the entire concert, to this point, flitting about the lobby, acknowledging the skill of the composer, complementing the taste of the matriarch or patriarch who had decided to bring their family here, and enthusing about the young artisan who had proferred this piece to public attention.  She would be firmly back in her seat ahead of the finale, of course. 

A familiar face in the crowd drew her attention.  Mister Selwynn! It had been some months since she had last encountered him.  Suddenly wandless and alone in muggle London, at the time she had found it terrifying and disconcerting - now, well now it made an excellent story - saved from muggles by the dashing Mister Selwyn.  She had been rather hoping to encounter him again in the interim but their dance cards had, alas, not aligned. 

Sashaying through the crowd, her peacock green gown shimmering as she walked, emeralds set in diamond glimmering at her ears.  Her distinct colouring set to best advantage amidst the rich colours of the theatres decor. 'Mister Selwynn,' she greeted, 'Are you enjoying the evening?' her rich voice carried a light laugh, 'Is the skill of tonights artist to your taste?'

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Emrys Selwyn Reuben Crouch

  

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^  Look what Lady did  ^

Emrys had just returned from his box in the gallery to the lobby once again. He'd had such high hopes for tonight. How hard could it be to woo a young woman? They were all so silly, so eager for romance, and he had plenty of experience wooing people for less respectable ends. He'd expected finding a woman to court would be simple. He could size up the options, choose the least unlikeable, and invite her and her chaperone to enjoy the rest of the evening with him in his box — he had excellent seats, of course, since he'd paid for part of the performance. Lightly flirtatious conversations scattered throughout the evening, a handful of dances at whatever the next opportunity was, and he'd be as good as courting her. What he had failed to account for in his planning was his own reticence to actually settle on any woman in particular; every woman he set his eyes on had half a dozen faults that came to mind immediately, and even when he tried to push past them he ended up tired of them before they'd exchanged two minutes of conversation.

As a result, he'd spent the evening alternating between highly unenjoyable forays through the lobby and taking solace in his box alone, listening to the performance and watching the acrobats and dancers with lazy interest. He'd just worked up the resolve to go try the lobby again and made his way down the stairs when he was accosted by a young woman. He supposed young women going out of their way to make conversation with him was a good sign, as far as his reputation was concerned — they had not all written him off as a confirmed bachelor just yet — but this particular woman was far from a welcome sight. He hadn't particularly enjoyed either of their previous encounters; she was one of the silliest debutantes in the room, as far as he was concerned. And why was she making that laughing sound with her voice? Did she suppose that it was charming, or was something she had said supposed to be funny?

"Quite," he answered briefly. "The performance has been the highlight of my evening so far." Which was not saying much.

  

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Lou made this! <3

Although their last few interactions had been tense or awkward, he was a gentleman of marriagable age, and she was a debutante - she did not have the luxury of holding a grudge. Ginevra Blackwood was nothing, if not the product of a thousand generations of mothers, telling a thousand generations of daughters that men wanted pretty, agreeable and coquettish women. Wry humour was not a feature men found attractive and her entire life she had been told that the entire focus of her young existence was to be found attractive by men - and in that, vacuity rather than wit were wanted. In another life, Vera's dramatic , social streak might have might have translated into something more worthwhile - but then a debuntate wasn't expected to be worthwhile, she had no value until she was married, until then - she was a blank canvas - at least officially.

Her lip quirked in a smile at his response, barely perceptible, but his annoyance at the social platitude was clear.
She accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. 'I must admit Mister Selwyn, I did not mark you as a music fan' she said earnestly. The middle Selwyn son was somewhat of a mystery to her, she knew from his reputation that he had the capacity to be convivial and 'fun' but if she was honest she had yet to see that part of him, she would be interested in seeing that.

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Had he been less annoyed by her existence, perhaps he could have brought himself to make a genuine response about his love of music — he did love music, or else he wouldn't have paid for it — but instead he smiled sarcastically. "Well, since you know my character so well I must wonder at the omission."

During their first encounter they'd spent half of it pretending to be better acquainted than they were, to get out of view of the suspicious Muggles all about them; their second had been over a two-minute hand of cards. At what point would they have talked of music? It annoyed him that she would have presumed to have known anything about him at all, much less that she would feel confident saying she was surprised that he enjoyed music.

"What did you mark me as, Miss Blackwood?" he asked, only a thin veneer of politeness covering the challenge.

  

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Lou made this! <3

It might have surprised Mister Selwyn to learn the frequency with which the women of England discussed it's men and their prospects. The general whispers were of someone vaguely 'roguish', his profession and his penchant for dark attire gave him something of a piratical air - even though there was no reason to believe he had ever been anything other than management. The exclusivity of his events didn't assist in his social transparency. In place of a clear view of him as a person, a mythos had arisen, at least in some circles of exactly who the middle selwyn was.


'You are a mystery Mister Selwyn,' she acknowledged, 'But I suppose that serves me right for judging a book by it's cover.' she offered, the strainin the conversation was clear, even she couldn't miss the tension in his jaw and the clip in his tone. 'A mystery I think I should rather enjoy getting to know.' it was an honest statement, a little bold perhaps. But as near a truce as a woman of Ginevra's age and pride could muster.

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"Would you?" he asked, not sure how to take the remark. Was she being genuine, or was it only a polite thing to say? Assuming she did mean it, why? He had given her no reason whatsoever to believe that he might be of interest to her.

Unless this was about the rumors, again. Had she heard something, and was only here conversing with him now to try and find some tidbit to prove or refute it? That was the only thing he could figure that made any sense; it wasn't as though any rumors she might have heard would have made him any more attractive to her as a potential conversation partner. Unless she had heard a rumor and surmised that he was more desperate to marry than the average man might be — or less discerning in his potential choice of a bride.

(Was he?)

"What makes you interested in uncovering mysteries?" he asked guardedly. "I suppose you're just curious by nature?"

  

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Lou made this! <3

She smiled 'I am curious person Mister Selwyn.' she confirmed her eyes fixed on the rim of her champagne glass, 'and since the idle chatter of ladies social circles do not seem equal to the demands of my curiosity I thought I should engage directly.' she looked back at him boldly meeting his gaze. Apparently coquettish airs and flattery where not the way to know this gentleman. A different tact was needed

A dubutantes world was a controlled one, a rigid grasping elbowing, hissing catfight for a husband, lest you be left on the shelf, a scorned and pitiful spinster. There was fun to be had but one could never relax, never be unguarded. She had never been drunk. Despite the almost thousand parties (and in the 3 years since her debut it had been almost a thousand parties) Ginevra had never gotten carried away, and if rumours were to be believed Mister Selwyns parties were capable of carrying one away. And merlin did Ginevra Blackwood want to be carried away.

’Do you not wish to be known Mister Selwyn, or are you and I of such a different kind that a nod at the opera is all the society we might share?’ For all her bluster and Gryffindor vim Ginevra Blackwood almost blushed at her own daring.

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^  Look what Lady did  ^

Such a different kind — he thought he knew precisely what she meant by that, and he was eager to assure her that it wasn't true (although, of course, it was, unless she had some secret life very well hidden behind that airy facade). It wasn't that he cared a wit what she thought, only what she might say to others. If there was one thing that debutantes could do very well, it was gossip, and that was precisely what he didn't need.

"I like to think a little mystery makes me all the more appealing," he offered by way of answer. "And I dare say your being here at all is an indication that I'm correct. Perhaps if you knew me better you might find you prefer more interesting company," he said with an offhand shrug.

Of course this wasn't true; Emrys did not seriously believe that there was a single person in this building more interesting than him, but it suited his needs at the moment if she thought he was only a boring bachelor, with no secrets hiding in his closets.

  

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Lou made this! <3

She chuckled at his comment about the appeal of mystery, she had to acknowledge that he was likely right. There were plenty of men who were more knowable than this Selwyn and yet on this evening she had sought him out, sought to speak to a gentleman who had proven immune to the usual vain flattery and coquettish fluttering that allowed her to fill her dance card at most balls. That was interesting.


That didn't mean however, that she didn't want to know him, didn't want to peak through the veil that had thus far proved impenetrable for her, or for any other woman apparently.

'Or perhaps Mister Selwyn if you knew me better, when I was not pretending to be a lunatic' her eyes flitted a little awkwardly, as she held her nerve, 'We might be better company and find each other mutually interesting?' she asked archly. 'or part ways and never speak to each other again' she gave a small smirk at the end, an out to save her pride if he told her in so many words to buzz off.

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Emrys considered how to respond to this for a moment and eventually decided on, "Perhaps." He did not think Miss Blackwood would prove to be interesting company, and he was disinclined to encourage any attempts she might make to become better acquainted with him. Being overtly hostile, however, would defeat the whole purpose of the evening. He may just have to endure Miss Blackwood's conversation for a season, since there was no way to politely extricate himself from it. Hopefully it was just a season... that would, he supposed, be one unexpected advantage of taking a wife; he would never have to pretend to be interested in debutantes again.

  

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Lou made this! <3

His perhaps was all the invitation Ginevra needed.

'So Mister Selwyn, I suppose we might begin, or new foray with the evening itself. I enjoy music a great deal, tonights event has been excellent, the composer has an exceptional skill, and we should all look forward to hearing more from him.' she offered, matter of factly, in the sort of tone one might provide a soundbite to the daily prophet. 'What is your view on this evenings entertainment? Is music how you would spend an evening?' she asked, taking a sip of champagne, looking over the top of her glass at Mister Selwyn, fighting a shit eating grin, and what smile did break through obscure to but the most astute observer by the rim of the champagne flute.

Ginevra was nothing if not tenacious, and the idea of someone else deciding who and where her friendship, or society, might be bestowed annoyed her somewhat. Mister Selwyn may well resist the hand of this particular 'friendship', but Ginevra was determined to make it as difficult as possible for him.

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Merlin's beard, she was relentless. She could not have been so socially inept that she hadn't picked up on his obvious disinterest in the conversation, which meant she must have been doing this on purpose. He supposed he might have embarrassed or offended her when they'd met at the Muggle museum, and this was her way of getting back at him: forcing him to continue to endure this conversation. The Debutante's Revenge. (Now that was an intriguing title for a piece; his mind drifted back to his conversation with Miss Zabini about the symbolism of the woman being devoured by rosebushes. Something along those lines, perhaps, but much more vivid — but he'd have to tuck this away for another time, because he couldn't devote any more attention to it now while still trying to pretend interest in Miss Blackwood).

"Yes, I think the composer's quite talented," he remarked, "but the Sonata will be what carries the evening, and the only thing anyone remembers after it's completed. Let's hope it lives up to expectations." He was certain it would; he'd heard it, after all, and thought it quite good, but he wasn't going to admit as much and out himself as one of the sponsors of the evening. He preferred for all of his investments to be shadow investments — the air of mystery preserved.

"And I can say that I've found this evening more enjoyable than the art exhibit last month," he remarked; though not for the sake of the company he added internally.

  

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Lou made this! <3

She had to admit that his acknowledgement that the music rather than the company, the bright jewels of English who had deigned to attend, were the stars of the evening, had impressed her. The later would have been the more socially acceptable commentary on an event where there more than a few society notables in attendance - for what would could compare to whatever socialite or other that was crowd watching from her box. Although she very much doubted that Mister Emrys Selwyn cared at all for impressing her, since apparently he didn't care for impressing society but it was an interesting observation none the less. And although the words would never come out of her mouth - she agreed with him, and she was rather sure that the tonights music would be the talk of the season. It was why, no matter how amusing it was tormenting Mister Selwyn she would be releasing him in time for the finale.

'I didn't make the art exhibit' she remarked,trying rather had to keep the disappointment from her voice, the truth was, her mother had deemed the event beneath a debutantes attention - or rather a waste of her time as there would be no dancing, not enough suitable gentlemen, and too much access by the 'lower classes' - even if she was referring to the clarking and administerial classes, and what capacity did Ginevra had to overrule her mothers decree? At least until she married although Such restrctions were entirely tiresome.

'So would it be accurate to say that your taste is for music more than art?' she asked in a tone that almost amounted to an expression of genuine interest, but since a genuine interest in Mister Selwyn would be almost like letting him win she added in a jokingly flippant tone 'I'm sure the tea circles of interested ladies would like to know if it is the painters or the singers that might be better placed to catch your attention?'

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^  Look what Lady did  ^

"It would be better said that my tastes are for good art, which was in short supply at last month's exhibit," he said, unable to entirely prevent himself from turning towards snark. He doubted very much indeed that the society ladies cared about his preference for art or music. Indeed, he doubted that Miss Blackwood cared either, though she was determined to pretend.

"Do the ladies of society learn to sing and paint solely in order to catch a gentleman's attention?" he asked a little derisively. "It seems rather mercenary for what has been called the fairer sex to view the arts as means alone."

  

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Lou made this! <3

One of Ginevra's eyebrows arched in amusement at his comment on the quality of the artwork, it was a brazen and entirely unsociety statement - forgetting the decorum that would have required him to acknowledge the taste of the painters if not their skill. 'I suppose then I should be glad not to have wasted my time.' she acknowledged, a mild indication that she would not out his lack of gentlemanly simpering over the artwork. 'As to the other matter, most women are the product of a thousand generations of mothers imparting a thousand generations of wisdom as to what men actually want in wives -so yes, most women, have been forced to learn the arts for the satisfaction and bragging rights of their future husbands' her tone was a little flat, and full of wry humour.

'We are told that all gentlemen want a quiet wife who can sing, speak french, and paint watercolours' She deposited her champagne glass on the tray, and waved away another. 'Much less focus on actual personality, or even the ability to do any of those things well.' she wrinkled her nose. It was hard to avoid a house party where the unmarried ladies were trotted up to a piano to scream out some aria. The very interesting ones would manage a piece of recitative, but they were almost all terrible. Ginevra as a pianist of reasonable quality was usually called upon to accompany, trying not to wince every time they fell abhorrently flat or screechingly sharp.

'Are they right then Mister Selwynn? Is a threadbare ability all that is needed to impress a gentlman? I admit myself not much of an expert' That was sort of true, Ginny's affected coquettishness filled her dance card, got her some flirtations but even the vapid play-acting got old and rarely attracted anyone of real interest. That probably explained why she was intent on tormenting Mister Selwyn.

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"Well, I hope they are at least accomplished in being quiet," Emrys said, more of his trademark sarcasm seeping into this conversation the longer it dragged on. "It seems to me that a woman who professes to be quiet and then fails at it is twice as troublesome to a husband as one who was upfront about being loud; at least he would go into the wedding undeceived about the life he was set to have."

He thought he was desirous of a quiet wife, but of course he didn't know — he'd never been married before. Quiet women didn't really interest him, but one wasn't supposed to be interested in their partner, were they? He only needed someone he could marry and stash as far out of mind as possible, and who wouldn't intrude too much on his life while they happened to be married.

Honestly, it occurred to him that divorce might have suited him. It wasn't fashionable, but it did add a sort of — what was the word? A sort of dark unknown to a person, if they were quietly divorced. Maybe it would help him seduce women more easily, too; they might think he was tragic and tortured by some lost love. Being a widower would suit him better still, but might be considerably more difficult to arrange.

  

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Lou made this! <3