Cerelia was surprised to find Katarina first – a completely unintentional thing and if anything she was the wrong Rookwood. The girls embraced regardless and Cerelia smiled warmly at Kat, actually pleased to see a familiar face. The blonde witch snorted in a rather unladylike fashion and lifted her hands, gesturing to the thrumming crowd as if to say: ‘what do you think?’ Cerelia laughed a little and looked about herself, still scanning for Jude.
Their eyes met and Cerelia’s lips quirked up a little bit. Her eyes drew back to Katarina and she hugged the other girl tightly again before looking around, rising up on her tip-toes a little before telling Kat. “Gosh, I’m sorry. I need to find my father. Gisele is over there I think.” She gestured to the drinks tables. “I’ll be back, Kat.”
Cerelia moved through the crowd towards the doors, her eyes on Jude, but she could feel a different gaze upon her. Unbeknownst to her, Athena Rookwood was watching out of the corner of her eye, her heart in her throat as she felt palpably the true beginning of something great – something important.
Adolphus had lit a cigar. There was no use standing on ceremony. He’d disentangled himself from his useless wife and sent off that idiot daughter of hers in search of a viscount. His sons lingered close but Adolphus wondered why, seeing no use in the boys lingering – they were only collecting dust. Still, he did not complain and busied himself with his whisky, mentally berating the Ministry and their inability to stock anything decent. Still, it’d do. It was better than whatever dry lager the boys were drinking over a game of cards.
The elder man knew Augustus was coming before the younger had even drawn close and Adolphus did not so much as wince when he heard the familiar voice behind him, he merely took a long draw from his cigar and exhaled the smoke in a lazy manner as he watched his daughter exit the ballroom with the Shaw boy that had more to do with his daughter than just business, he reckoned. But he’d deal with that later.
“Indeed they are.” Adolphus drawled lazily before taking a sip of his whisky. “Like springtime lovers finding out what a miracle the broom closet is for the first time.”
Adolphus flicked the ash of his cigar at Caius and his son hissed, looking disapprovingly at his father but saying nothing in response.
“I detest the Ministry,” Adolphus commented airily. “I especially detest that mangy undersecretary but he is proving useful.”
Adolphus ceased grumbling and glanced at Augustus briefly. “She’s not here.” He grunted, looking now at Augustus meaningfully. “She just pitter-pattered out in those lovely little shoes.”
The elder man turned now and flicked his ash into the ash tray this time – instead of his son. “I never said we couldn’t talk, Gus.” Adolphus murmured with a smirk. “You never came to me. You were more than content to speak to my daughter and she you, I do not doubt. Nevertheless, she needed a bit of exercise in diplomacy and you needed a change of company. Spends far too much time in the hills, that girl and you, brooding away in your study.”
Adolphus reached into the pocket of his jacket and took out a silver cigar case. He opened it up and offered one to Augustus.
He took another draw but not as deep as the other, blowing out the smoke to add, “I’m actually glad I got her away before lambing season – there would’ve been no chance then. Merlin...Anyway, I take it you enjoyed Venice. She came back with enough little trinkets to make my wallet weep. The Montolivos were arrogant as usual, I hope? Cerelia has not said much on that front, just that it was a success. I can only assume Mattia was as ... trying as usual.” Adolphus’ eyebrows rose and he looked at Augustus pointedly before taking another sip of his whisky.
The man barked out a laugh and he shook his head. “It’s just an opportunity for her to play dress-up, Augustus. She can’t draw a husband. She’s never been able to. Too bloody skinny, that’s why. Blonde hair too limp. Too tan – too many blemishes from mucking about in the hills. You know, the normal problems with our burdens. Can never shift them. Still, I suppose you won’t have much problem with your Katarina, eh? She’s a beauty. There is luck in Rookwood blood, I’ll swear to that.”
Adolphus did not notice the way Bastien balked. Caius’ foot came down on his brother’s, a silent warning for the other man to sit and not challenge their father. The Ministry was no place to test Adolphus Rookwood’s patience. It was lies, the pair both knew it, and though Caius was more like their father, he too felt sick at Adolphus blaming Cerelia’s ‘blemishes’ on her time on the farm. She was the best one out of everyone that worked the land and she was the daughter of the land owner. Adolphus knew that. He also knew she’d never make a mistake. She got over that when she was little after the first initial bumps and bruises. No, it was a blatant lie, one that made Bastien feel ill. He could see behind his eyelids the twisting serpent down her back and he could remember well the delight his father had taken in drawing that into her flesh. To write it off as her own fault... Bastien could have killed him.
“Still,” Adolphus added. “One can always hope. I can’t sell her on her maidenhood now, though.” Adolphus scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t know what I’ll say if it comes into question. Probably that she was the undersecretary’s slut and deserves no decent marriage so they should find a Weasley to take pity on. Yes, that sounds about right, don’t you think? Seems ironic, though, doesn’t it? She’s like you and me in that respect. She gives up her only selling point in order to get on board of our endeavour a man who is incredibly useful to us. We’d sell our own mother’s to see money lining our pockets in the end and she’s the same. Quite a good thing really.”
Adolphus exhaled another chest-full of smoke and he shrugged his shoulders. “Her cousin is ever an option, though.” He added optimistically. “Ugliest looking git in the entire world. I swear to you. If there’s an ugly tree, he hit every branch on the way down and hit the ground face first when he landed. Terrible. His mother’s gorgeous, though. I, uh..well.” Adolphus smirked a little. “We knew each other well once. Lovely lass. It’s either that, though, or I pack her up and send her to some old batty Wizard in the Netherlands who needs an heir. She’s useless but I don’t hate her that much.” Adolphus chuckled, finding himself funny before drinking again. “I don’t know. What about you, anyway? Or is too soon?”
by Orla Hughes Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:06 pm
