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Post by twilightblade on Feb 1, 2007 12:23:13 GMT -5
Ok, here we go! (I won't make anyone wait for my character just because I haven't the time to put him up...*sigh*) San Francisco, when the gold rush has started, the dons are still around, Oregon is partially settled, and the sailors and miners are rowdy! Since we have ladies involved in this, , please watch the language. It simply wasn't done around ladies. Now for immediate setting, we can start either at the warf where people are disembarking from a ship, or in a shop/store where the characters can meet while buying supplies to venture forth into the land. *************************************************
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Post by jessimyre on Feb 1, 2007 17:27:47 GMT -5
Elizabeth followed her mother across the deck. They barely had to wait a few moments before they were invited to step onto the warf, onto the soil of their new land. She felt hot and bothered but she wasn't concerned about that now. Her eyes roved the scene before her as she paused. America. She'd been longing for this moment since she found out they were to upheave their life and take the long journey to the new country.
She took a deep breath and followed her family onto the warf. She stood in the center of their bags, holding her parasole above her head and gazing around. They had arrived at last.
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Post by blossom on Feb 2, 2007 6:29:58 GMT -5
Suzy leaned out over the railing as the ship docked, gazing out at the warf with a grin on her face. So this was America. She almost felt like laughing. Below her the deck hands and other servants were helping to move the Eddings' bags from the ship. And there was Lord Thomas and his children, the young Lord Michael and Lady Jane.
"Suzy!" Jane called now, seeing her at the railings.
"Coming mi'lady!" Suzy called back, and dashed down to where her mistress was waiting on the wharf. She could hardly wait to begin their life here in America.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 5, 2007 17:42:22 GMT -5
Orion hastily stepped out of the way of the lady as she dashed past him, her blue eyes alight. "Pardon, miss." He turned back to watching the sea and the ships, but was still aware of the three beauties he had caught a glimpse of on the warf.
The blue-eyed young lady had stopped next to one of the other ladies, a part of one of the wealthier small family groups, surrounded by numerous trunks and bags. The last girl was staring around at the hive of activity on the warf, holding a parasol daintily above her fair skin.
He smiled to himself and turned away from the sea, heading back across the warf to the hitchracks where he had tied his horses.
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Post by jessimyre on Feb 5, 2007 22:51:10 GMT -5
Amongst the activity, Elizabeth noticed Lady Jane calling to her maid who came dashing along to be at her side most obediently. Elizabeth sighed, her father hadn't allowed any of Elizabeth's maids to accompany her. She was to have a slave girl instead in this new country. It was all arranged. Elizabeth had argued until she was blue in the face but ehr father was resolute. Elizabeth dispised the idea of slavery.
"You are most fortunate." Elizabeth leaned over to speak to Jane whom she had met and made friends with on the long, long journey to America, "My father wouldn't hear of taking any of the servants with us. And yours is so happy to serve you!"
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Post by blossom on Feb 6, 2007 7:26:39 GMT -5
Jane smiled slightly, "I refused to come unless Father let me bring Suzy. But I think she may be more excited about America than serving me." She gestured at the servant girl, who was gazing about her at the dock with rapture.
Suzy was already enchanted with America. The wharf was similar to the dock they had boarded at in England, but was still so different. The sounds of many different accents merged around them, as well as different languages. It was all so foreign and different to Suzy, who had lived her whole life in London. She hoped she would have the chance to make the most of it.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 6, 2007 11:59:29 GMT -5
Orion reached his horses, checked on them briefly, then turned back to search the crowd for the man who was bringing his purchase from the ship. It was taking longer than he'd thought, but...his eyes drifted toward the three ladies again... They were quite beautiful, but he really shouldn't stare. He had only come into town at first light, and hadn't seen any women until he'd come down to the warf. They were scarce on the range, but that was no excuse to bother a lady.
A voice at his elbow caused him to turn. "Purty, ain't they? That's the Lady Jane, and her friend, Miss Elizabeth." The young sailor's eyes were lit with admiration.
Orion smiled. "Ya wanted something?" His eyes turned toward the women, then he jerked them back to the sailor.
"Oh..., message from the Cap'n. He needs to see you on board."
Orion nodded and followed the boy back across the warf to the ship.
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Post by jessimyre on Feb 6, 2007 16:28:35 GMT -5
Elizabeth's eyes had not missed the rugged yet rather handsome young man among the crowd who had stared at the three of them. She nudged Jane lightly and indicated him as he walked back across the warf to the very ship they had just disembarked from. She caught his eye briefly and smiled coyly, fanning herself and glancing away again.
Lady Jane giggled and Elizabeth continued to smile into her fan. But there was no time to be admiring the locals. Elizabeth's father had caught sight of a carriage making its way toward them and was already directing the porters to collect up their luggage in readyness.
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Post by blossom on Feb 7, 2007 6:37:04 GMT -5
Suzy turned around when she heard her mistress giggle, and saw Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth smiling at a handsome young man headed for the ship. Suzy said nothing, instead turning to help with the luggage. In her experience men had been nothing but trouble.
Lady Jane's elder brother, Michael, also saw the glance the girls gave the man and scowled. Suzy very nearly smiled then. Michael had, of course, been enchanted with the beautiful young Elizabeth, althought as far as the maid knew he had barely spoken to her on the journey.
Typical of a man, Suzy mused as she hefted Jane's bags up to the Eddings' carriage, More worried 'bout a lady's looks than 'er mind. But who was she, a mere maid, to judge the way the upper classes thought?
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 7, 2007 21:17:21 GMT -5
Orion caught Miss Elizabeth smiling at him and flushed, turning his attention resolutely to the sailor beside him. He didn't know the lady, and the fellow beside her was obviously interested. He strode up the plank beside the sailor and met with the Captain.
"Captain? Is anything wrong?" he inquired, his eyes searching the man's face.
"Ah..." the Captain shook his head with a smile. "Not if you're Orion Talbot."
"That's me." Orion acknowledged cautiously. "Why?"
"Nothing to worry." The Captain's smile widened. "Your package arrived, and your niece was a joy to keep an eye on." He turned away, missing the look of utter shock on Orion's face. "There she is right now...I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on." He waved at a pretty young black-haired girl who was running toward them with a happy smile, and walked quickly away, calling out an order to another sailor.
The girl ran right up to him and clutched his nearest hand, smiling, her grey eyes dancing. "Hello Uncle Orion!"
Orion barely kept from stammering. "Ah, hello darlin'." He hesitated, smiling back at her, but completely puzzled.
"It's ok, Uncle Orion," the little girl said confidingly. "Mama said you wouldn't know me, but she gave me a letter for you." She looked as if she was going to cry, but then smiled again. "Ma...went away...and...and said you'd take care of me now. I-I'm Julia."
Orion crouched down to her level. "Well, Julia, I'm mighty pleased to meet you." He smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as his dark eyes lit. "What d'you say to comin' along with me and meetin' a horse or two after I pick up my package?"
Julia's face lit up. "Oh! Could I really? I'd love to!" She stopped remembering somthing. "Oh, I have your package." She fumbled in the pocket of her blue dress, then triumphantly pulled forth a wrinkled wad of bills. "There! See? Mama said you'd need this."
He stared for a moment, then took it. "Ok honey."
The sailor who had guided him to the ship came back then, and waited respectfully at his elbow. "Sir? Your package is right over here." He led the way back to the warf and pointed the box out. Orion nodded and tipped him, then hauled the box onto his shoulder while Julia took his other hand and tripped along beside him as they moved back across the warf to his horses.
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Post by blossom on Feb 17, 2007 15:27:58 GMT -5
Suzy hefted the last of the Eddings' bags onto the carriage, then held open the door for the family to climb in. Lord Thomas brushed past without a glance in her direction, but Michael gave her a tiny nod of thanks.
Jane was the last to get in, after she gave Elizabeth their new address and asked her to come and visit soon. The other servants the Eddings had brought with them, Adam and Bessie, were sat up on the driver's bench, and Suzy nimbly clambered up to sit beside them. It was a squeeze, but Suzy was thin and managed to squash herself on the end.
Adam flicked the reins and the horse started off. Suzy leaned back, excited. Soon they would be at their new American house. She could hardly wait.
Jane leant out of the carriage window to wave goodbye to Elizabeth as they set off, but as she did so a gust of wind swept her hat from her head. Jane put a hand to her hair, with a cry of,"Oh, no!"
The hat had been her late mother's; a pale duck-egg blue, with a wide brim and a beautiful blue ribbon. Suzy knew how much it had meant to Jane, so quickly she jumped down from the seat, landing nimbly on the ground and set off in pursuit.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 20, 2007 11:35:26 GMT -5
Orion looked up as he heard a woman's cry of distress and caught sight of the the pale blue hat sailing merrily along through the air. With one quick move he set down the box he carried and snatched the hat out of the air. He looked it over dubiously, then smiled down at Julia.
"Well honey, it looks like we'll have to find the owner of this hat. Here," he handed it to her, then leaned down and picked up the box again, "you just hang onto that and we'll see if anyone comes a'lookin'."
Julia stroked the hat softly, then took his hand again and marched determindedly along beside him, looking around with wide eyes.
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Post by blossom on Feb 20, 2007 14:48:21 GMT -5
Suzy sprinted after Jane's hat as fast as her heavy, cumbersome boots would allow. The wind was still strong and whipped her dark hair back, teasing it loose from the ponytail Suzy had tied it into.
As she chased after the hat, she saw a man snatch it from the air. He looked around, presumably for the owner, and Suzy recognised the young man Jane and Elizabeth had been eyeing. He didn't seem to see Suzy and handed the hat to the little girl beside him.
The man then hefted a box onto his shoulder and walked away with the girl, who had taken over looking around the wharf. Suzy, now panting heavily, kept after them, waving frantically to get the girl's attention.
"Hi! Hi, 'scuse me!" she yelled over the wind, unsure whether or not they would hear, "'Scuse me! You got Lady Jane's 'at!"
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 20, 2007 14:55:42 GMT -5
Orion stopped and turned smoothly as he heard a young lady, presumably calling after them. He lowered the box to the warf and took off his hat to the lady. Her dark hair floated about her face in curling tendrils, and her pretty blue eyes were worried. She was breathing hard, and had evidently been hurrying after them.
"Yes, ma'm? May I help you with something?" He smiled at her, surprised to see that it was one of the three women from the warf.
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Post by blossom on Feb 20, 2007 15:01:53 GMT -5
Suzy skidded to a halt in front of them, gasping for breath. She could feel her cheeks were flushed and her lungs burned as she gulped the air. Really she shouldn't have run so fast. When the man smiled, she felt herself blush deeper. Jane and Elizabeth certainly had a knack for spotting a handsome man.
"Sorry, sir," she explained, "Only, you got Lady Jane's 'at."
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 20, 2007 15:07:21 GMT -5
Orion smiled and nodded to Julia. "Julia, give the lady the hat." He looked back to the woman, so pretty with her hair and blue eyes and flushed cheeks. "I beg your pardon, ma'm." He felt himself flushing. He really shouldn't stare at her so.
Julia shyly held up the hat to the woman, and Orion nodded his head to her awkwardly. "Thank you for a'runnin' after us ma'm. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't."
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Post by blossom on Feb 20, 2007 15:27:56 GMT -5
Suzy took the hat from Julia with a grateful smile.
"I should be thankin' you," she said to the man, "Lady Jane would be terribly upset if we lost 'er 'at. It were 'er mother's you see. So, thank you, very much."
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 21, 2007 15:20:45 GMT -5
Orion felt himself flushing further. "Anythin' for a lady such as yourself, ma'm."
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Post by blossom on Feb 21, 2007 15:33:42 GMT -5
A lady? Me? Suzy thought, almost laughing at the idea, I don't think so.
Aloud she said, "Suzy. My - my name, it's Suzy. Suzy Higgins. Might I ask yours?" she blushed again. He would think her terribly forward. Hurriedly, she explained, "Only, Lady Jane'll be wantin' ta know the name of 'er 'at's savior, y'see."
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 21, 2007 18:02:53 GMT -5
"Orion Talbot, Miss Higgins. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for tellin' me your name." He smiled at her. "I'd be thinkin' that the name of the savior would be yours, most rightly."
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Post by blossom on Feb 22, 2007 9:15:25 GMT -5
"It's very nice ta meet you too," Suzy smiled back, "But anyway I'd better be goin'. I've a long walk ahead o' me. Thanks again fer savin' Lady Jane's 'at, Mister Talbot." She gave a small cursty then turned to leave.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 22, 2007 12:05:17 GMT -5
Orion nodded back, and replaced his hat. "Thank you, Miss Higgins." He picked up the box again and walked on to his horses with Julia.
Tying the box to the rest of the pack on the other horse, he mounted and lifted Julia up with him onto his appaloosa, then looked after Miss Higgins.
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Post by blossom on Feb 22, 2007 12:34:08 GMT -5
Suzy walked back along the dock, twirling the hat in her hands. She could just see the carriage moving further into the distance; they had not waited for her. She could remember the address of their new house, but whether or not she could find it was debatable.
Lady Jane would be pleased to have her hat back, though. Suzy was looking forward to seeing the look her face when told of its rescuer. At the thought, Suzy looked back to see Mr Talbot lifting the little girl, Julia, up onto his horse. She smiled and continued along the wharf.
There was one bonus to being left behind, she thought as she lifted her head up to feel the warmth of the sunlight. She got to spend more time in the sun, experiencing America.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 22, 2007 18:20:12 GMT -5
Orion was in the midst of telling Julia what the names of his horses were when he caught sight of Miss Higgins again, and then the carriage he was sure she had come from receding into the distance. He'd better escort her. It wasn't safe for a lone woman this near the warf, although plenty of men wouldn't stand to see a woman bothered, there were still enough around who would.
He urged the appaloosa forward. "May I escort you home, Miss Higgins?" he asked her seriously. "It is not safe on this side of town."
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Post by blossom on Feb 23, 2007 4:33:25 GMT -5
Suzy looked up, and recognised Mr Talbot. "That's very kind, but I wouldn't want ta put you out or nothin'," she answered him.
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