Of Eyeliners & Egyptian Cotton (2)
Aug. 26th, 2013 12:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_shrubberyPart 2 of the 4th part of the #lindorabble series.
There had been no way of guessing that the evening would end like this, Kitty thought and stretched her legs. The sheets were divinely soft and she wondered if they were of the Egyptian cotton one always heard talk of on television. It probably did not matter, she thought and closed her eyes again. There had been indeed no indicator just a few hours previously that she would end here. Ash had been too late and she had been close to being furious with him, but his apology had been so diverting she had had no choice but to believe it.
They had, however, been too late for the theatre and so, after several furious telephone conferences during the cab ride, Ash had managed, as he triumphantly announced to her, to secure seats in one of the most popular restaurants in London. However, it was far too crowded for it to be comfortable, which Ash blamed on it being a Friday night and Kitty on the fact that it was, as he had said, the most popular in the West End. Ash, after seeing the menu, had been forced to admit that he had not actually eaten there before. He seemed almost distraught and entreated Kitty to tell him if she would rather eat dinner elsewhere.
In hindsight, of course, Ash had been right about the restaurant. They had fled after the main course of cold and dry ravioli with an unidentifiable filling, and gone to a small cafe around the corner for dessert. There, they had only narrowly avoided disaster when Ash had absent-mindedly ordered Banoffee pie, forcing Kitty to eat it all alone while he nursed a cup of coffee. (That, perhaps, had been one small indicator that the evening was destined to be a good one.)
Ash had then suggested that they try to catch a movie to make up for the show they had missed, and while Kitty had nipped into the loo before they left, he had got her a cup of hot chocolate to go. She had thought this rather sweet, at least until they’d stepped into the street again and were suddenly beleaguered by reporters. At first, she had feared they had come for them, but it soon turned out that there was better prey to be had. Nevertheless, finding a way through them was not easy.
Ash had done everything he could, but there was little that a couple of napkins could do to remedy the damage that a cup of hot chocolate could do on a pink dress. Kitty had insisted it was fine, although she had been cursing inwardly because that dress had been new and expensive and she really could only hope her mother would be able to work wonders or at least dye it navy. Ash, however, had muttered something about a certain stain remover and the nearness of his flat and had been so obviously and endearingly nervous, even if he tried his utmost not to show it. Kitty simply had had to take him up on that offer. Once in his flat, which sported much less chrome and black leather than Kitty had feared, after Ash had offered her one of his luxuriously soft dressing gowns and treated her gown with an almost surgical earnestness, the further turn of events had been almost inevitable and now, Kitty found herself slowly drifting off to sleep between those heavenly sheets. Ash, by the sound of his soft snores, had already succumbed to sleep. Kitty sighed and thought that after these unexpected developments, one might have thought she would feel embarrassed or ill at ease, but instead, she felt content as she had rarely before in her life. Little did she know that the excitements of the evening had barely begun.
There had been no way of guessing that the evening would end like this, Kitty thought and stretched her legs. The sheets were divinely soft and she wondered if they were of the Egyptian cotton one always heard talk of on television. It probably did not matter, she thought and closed her eyes again. There had been indeed no indicator just a few hours previously that she would end here. Ash had been too late and she had been close to being furious with him, but his apology had been so diverting she had had no choice but to believe it.
‘Oh, please – a raccoon?’
‘No, seriously, there are pictures if you doubt me -’
‘I did not say I doubted you, simply that I do not believe your brother -’
‘No, here, have a look for yourself and then you will understand I had no choice but to act. My family’s honour – the little we have left of it – was at stake.’
‘No, really – oh my god, you were right. A raccoon.’
They had, however, been too late for the theatre and so, after several furious telephone conferences during the cab ride, Ash had managed, as he triumphantly announced to her, to secure seats in one of the most popular restaurants in London. However, it was far too crowded for it to be comfortable, which Ash blamed on it being a Friday night and Kitty on the fact that it was, as he had said, the most popular in the West End. Ash, after seeing the menu, had been forced to admit that he had not actually eaten there before. He seemed almost distraught and entreated Kitty to tell him if she would rather eat dinner elsewhere.
‘I am not sure whether I can in good conscience allow you to eat here.’
‘Honestly, Ash, it will be fine. I’ve eaten in far worse places. You saw the dodgy pizza place next door to me.’
‘My dear, it’s not your stomach I’m concerned about – I think you fully capable of tolerating this. It’s my dignity that is at stake. How can I ever expect you to have dinner with me after this? I shall be forced to grovel and beg you, and that sort of thing just shatters a man’s pride.’
‘Has there ever been a time in your life when you were not silly?’
‘I think I was laid down with measles for a week or two when I was five – dear Lord, is that artfully distributed balsamico on the plates? Are you sure you want to eat here?’
In hindsight, of course, Ash had been right about the restaurant. They had fled after the main course of cold and dry ravioli with an unidentifiable filling, and gone to a small cafe around the corner for dessert. There, they had only narrowly avoided disaster when Ash had absent-mindedly ordered Banoffee pie, forcing Kitty to eat it all alone while he nursed a cup of coffee. (That, perhaps, had been one small indicator that the evening was destined to be a good one.)
‘Please stop looking at my food like that. It makes me feel guilty.’
‘Is it as good as it looks?’
‘It’s even better. Why don’t you go and get yourself some of that carrot cake? I’m sure there’s no banana in that.’
‘What, and admit defeat to the saleslady? She’ll think I let you steal my pie.’
‘Fine, be that way. I could care less. I have pie.’
‘Cruelty does not suit you, Helen.’
‘Must you call me that? It reminds me of our first date when I almost killed you.’
‘You and I are too wise to date peaceably, Helen.’
Ash had then suggested that they try to catch a movie to make up for the show they had missed, and while Kitty had nipped into the loo before they left, he had got her a cup of hot chocolate to go. She had thought this rather sweet, at least until they’d stepped into the street again and were suddenly beleaguered by reporters. At first, she had feared they had come for them, but it soon turned out that there was better prey to be had. Nevertheless, finding a way through them was not easy.
‘Oh, right, yeah. I should have mentioned that.’
‘For heaven’s sake, do not be so cryptic, Ash – and what on earth did you have to do with this?’
‘It’s just – I know someone who might be partying tonight and could possibly draw the attention of these crowds.’
‘And you don’t want to say anything else about it because of your professional honour.’
‘What? No, I gave my brother my word.’
‘Your brother is partying with -’
‘Sh! Not so loud, Helen, they will hear you -’
‘No, I don’t think they will – what are they shouting?’
‘It sounds like Shoreditch, but that doesn’t really make sense, or is it some sort of juvenile slang I am unacquainted with?’
‘They’re shouting ‘he’s in Shoreditch’ and – oh, bugger that.’
‘Oh, dear, that’s -’
‘I swear, she came from nowhere and -’
Ash had done everything he could, but there was little that a couple of napkins could do to remedy the damage that a cup of hot chocolate could do on a pink dress. Kitty had insisted it was fine, although she had been cursing inwardly because that dress had been new and expensive and she really could only hope her mother would be able to work wonders or at least dye it navy. Ash, however, had muttered something about a certain stain remover and the nearness of his flat and had been so obviously and endearingly nervous, even if he tried his utmost not to show it. Kitty simply had had to take him up on that offer. Once in his flat, which sported much less chrome and black leather than Kitty had feared, after Ash had offered her one of his luxuriously soft dressing gowns and treated her gown with an almost surgical earnestness, the further turn of events had been almost inevitable and now, Kitty found herself slowly drifting off to sleep between those heavenly sheets. Ash, by the sound of his soft snores, had already succumbed to sleep. Kitty sighed and thought that after these unexpected developments, one might have thought she would feel embarrassed or ill at ease, but instead, she felt content as she had rarely before in her life. Little did she know that the excitements of the evening had barely begun.
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no subject
Date: 2013-08-25 11:55 pm (UTC)So for some reason the separate #lindorabble entries didn't show on my Friends feed, but the 3-sentence ficathons did. Strangeness.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-25 11:57 pm (UTC)Glad you like it!
no subject
Date: 2013-08-26 08:02 pm (UTC)Lovely, lovely!
I am Glad that Freddy and Harry are out partying while Ash tried and failed to get an epic date going, though of course it did involve him and egyptian sheets so the end of the Date was certainly acceptable to kitty ;)
no subject
Date: 2013-08-26 08:33 pm (UTC)Glad you like though!
no subject
Date: 2013-08-26 08:45 pm (UTC)