A Night to Remember (all the pretty people)

[Lyra Newbury]

Soon there was too much going on for Lyra to worry about whether Julian would show up and find out about Mason, or rather that Mason would find out about Julian. She was even too distracted to remember to be annoyed that Nicolas was looming whenever Samantha was busy elsewhere making sure the evening ran smoothly.

Lyra smiled and curtsied as she was introduced to dozens of people, some she had heard of while others she hadn't. Mason was on her arm a portion of the time but he also excused himself now and then to socialize with people he knew Lyra would find boring, leaving her alone with Nicolas and the strangers she pretended to care about.

"Who was that again?" she asked slyly as a middle aged couple left them. Lyra had managed through a confusing conversation on business that she did not understand, the longer the husband spoke the fewer things Lyra actually remembered. Two minutes in she forgot not only their names but also what company the man ran. Lyra noted how his wife looked adoringly at her husband the entire time and wondered if she'd had the expression permanently charmed to her face or if she truly found the man's ramblings interesting.

[Nicolas Everhart]

"The Count Reginald and Countess Matilda de Severn." he reminded her taking a sip of champagne, "Or Reggie and Tilly." he said with a smirk. "You know, Samantha had these names memorized by the time she was four." he said with some combination of pride and snobbery.

He took her hand and led her out to the dance floor sensing that she had had enough fake smiling for the moment. "How are you holding up?"

[Lyra Newbury]

"Bully for her," Lyra said as she finished her champagne and set the empty flute on a passing tray. Lyra could see Nicolas was proud of Samantha's apparent achievement, but Lyra was still conflicted on whether she really needed to retain the information at all if Nicolas was going to send her away the second the serial killer was captured and he no longer felt obligated to keep Lyra safe for Sam's sake.

Lyra was glad for the change of pace and followed Nicolas willingly onto the dance floor. Of course he was a beautiful dancer. Lyra wanted to roll her eyes but he was being such a gentleman tonight that Lyra found it difficult to be annoyed with him.

"I'm fine," she lied, but as he spun her around she decided she was tired of lying and she let her guard down for a brief period. "Actually, this is torture," she confessed. "I've brought it upon myself, I know but..."

Nicolas was the only one who knew everything Lyra had done. He knew how she met with Julian behind Mason's back. He knew she had charmed Mrs Marlowe, despite cheating on the woman's son with his best friend. And he knew of the attack that left Lyra questioning whether or not she should even bother continuing on in life at all. He might not have been the best person to confess herself to, but Nicolas was the only option available to her.

[Nicolas Everhart]

He'd never admit it, but he had read the letters Lyra wrote several times. He coupled that with what he knew of her character, what Sam, Mason, and Julian had to say about her, and he was beginning to believe that he might have misjudged her. Oh she was horrible with relationships and the unspoken rules of society, but perhaps she wasn't trying to destroy his loved ones.

"You can't run. I won't let you. Sam's determined to make you a success. Julian will come around and do the honorable thing no doubt, and Mason...well he's the odd one out, but no story is perfect. No my dear, the only option left is to hold your head up high and bear the consequences I'm afraid."

[Lyra Newbury]

Nicolas switched platforms more than a politician. Lyra was never quite sure where he stood on anything where she was concerned. He wanted her to leave and then he ordered her to stay. He questioned her motives with Julian and then offered a sympathetic, yet vague statement of comfort. "The honorable thing?" she asked, confused by his phrasing. Did he know something about Julian that she didn't?

Lyra wasn't sure she could bear the consequences but this evening would likely be the deciding factor. Although, most of the guests seemed to have arrived by now and Julian was no where in sight, so maybe her death sentence had been reprieved for the night.

[Nicolas Everhart]

"That's what he thinks he's doing now by staying away from you." Nik replied, " He's an idiot, but he won't stay that way for long."

It was all the comfort he could give her as Sam entered the room with Christine. He was worried about Sam's cousin. They all were, but there was something new about her lately, a hard edge that wasn't there before.

"Mason is coming, I leave you in capable hands." he said handing her off to her quasi-boyfriend.

"I was looking for you, I gotta admit I was a little jealous when I saw you on the dance floor without me."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra's expression softened as Nicolas gave her hope that Julian would come around. She smiled at the thought of Julian finally being hers, but instantly her body stiffened as Nicolas mentioned Mason's approach. She looked over her shoulder to see him nearing, a smile on his face. She smiled in return.

"Nik was just saving me from a boring conversation about the finer points of running a business. It was awful. You would have loved it," she teased and they began moving around the dance floor.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason didn't even bother to hide his interest but smiled all the same at her.

"How are you holding up?" he asked knowing she wasn't quite accustomed to the whirlwind of these sort of affairs, particularly at being the center of attention.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra had no problem being the center of attention. She loved having people stare at her, knowing the girls were jealous of her and the men wanted to be with her. But Mason rarely saw that Lyra. Their relationship had blossomed in the shadow of her love for Julian which had made her sullen more frequently than usual. She had also spent a good portion of their relationship hiding her financial woes which did not exactly make her want to stand under the spotlight as she normally would have. Mason didn't know this about Lyra, but Julian did.

She gave him an annoyed look, more so out of frustration at her situation than anything that Mason may have done wrong. "I'd be a hell of a lot better if people would stop asking me that!" Frustrated, Lyra dropped her hand from his and walked away, leaving Mason alone on the dance floor.

Lyra was angry at herself for her outburst, but she was also too stubborn to go back to Mason to apologize right away. Instead she took a glass of champagne from a passing server and walked out into the garden, hoping the cool breeze would bring her senses back to her.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason was stunned. Completely caught off guard by her outburst. He wasn't alone long on the dance floor however when another social lite stepped in Lyra's place trying to win Mason's attention.

While he wanted to go and check on Lyra, another part argued that she needed her space. He remained polite and stayed with one girl while his mind was on another.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra walked along the garden path just far enough for the sound of the party inside to fade, but not so far that Samantha would feel the need to send Nicolas after her. She found a stone bench along the path and sat, attempting at first to appear composed and elegant in case anyone passed by. But as no one was around Lyra relaxed, groaning out loud and leaning back to look up at the stars. She scanned the sky in search of the little constellation she was named after and found it shining against the inky black sky.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine stepped out of the shadows, her hiding spot compromised now that the other girl had showed up.

"Uh oh, with both of us out here Sam's liable to send Scotland Yard." she said on a sigh.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra was startled by the sudden appearance of Christine, believing she was alone with her thoughts. But she soon smiled and laughed at Christine's joke. "Most definitely! I was worried she'd send a search party when I thought I was alone." Lyra stood and greeted her friend's cousin properly.

The girls had met in school and were friendly enough, though Lyra was a year older than Christine and they were in different houses so their paths rarely crossed unsupervised by Samantha. But Lyra was aware, as was the whole of England, that Christine had only recently been saved from a serial killer. The same man who thought Lyra was Samantha and attempted to abduct her less than a week ago. Perhaps it was the fact that Lyra had spoken to no one about the event, other than Nicolas and Samantha, and Lyra would never rank her encounter even on the same scale as Christine's but there was something inside Lyra that made her reach out and hug the girl.

"I'm sorry," she said stepping away, realizing she had overstepped the boundaries of their limited relationship. "I'm so happy to see you. Everyone was so worried."

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine was shocked when the other girl hugged her. Then she laughed, "No, it's alright." she laughed some more, "I think that was the most genuine display of relief outside of family." and a few others.

She smiled, "Most people inside just stare, offer deepest condolences, and then whisper about it after they think I'm outside of earshot."

[Lyra Newbury]

"Most people are prats," Lyra explained. It was a sentiment she shared often. "I was actually surprised when Sam said you were planning on coming. I don't think I could stand all these people so soon after..." Lyra could barely stand all these people now, without having gone through a nightmarish trauma like Christine.

"I heard your press conference on the radio. You were really inspiring."

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine agreed about people, it was why she sailed so often. She couldn't stand the stuffy London snobbery.

She shrugged, " I think in some ways I'm acting out. Trying to show that he didn't break me."

Trying to show Dorian that she wasn't broken.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra smiled. "If anyone deserves an opportunity to act out, I'd say you've earned it. I only spent a few minutes with that lunatic and I..." Lyra stopped suddenly, the color drained from her face. She had decided to not tell anyone about the failed abduction attempt. Not only was Lyra embarrassed by it, but she also didn't want anyone finding out that M was after Samantha. The family was taking care of the security privately and Lyra wasn't even sure how much of the family was aware. If she didn't know already, Christine was probably the last person Sam would want to know about it.

[Christine Montgomery]

"It's alright." Christine said, "I know about the attack. I'm sorry." she said a look falling over her face. Lyra was an innocent bystander in this private war, but then again they were all innocent except for M.

"He said there would be repercussions, but I guess I thought it'd be toward me." she sighed and walked past Lyra to the banister to look out at the gardens, "I'm glad you weren't taken."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra still wasn't sure she shared Christine's sentiment. Being dead would solve so many of Lyra's problems and her sullen episodes had only increased since the whole Julian/Mason situation developed, Lyra found herself thinking of the easier way out more and more. "Might have been easier..." she mused aloud.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine frowned, "I don't understand." she said perplexed, "Easier if you had been taken?" she questioned.

Christine had also upon the rarest of occasions, mostly when she was feeling despondent over Dorian, wondered what she had escaped for if life was going to be so miserable. But the self pity never lasted long. She remembered the faces of the other girls, and the terror. Even if things didn't work out the way she had wanted them to, she would not want to be back in M's grasp.