It was a usual day, Delilah had told her family she was going out, her younger sister had said she'd accompany her, which her parents thought was a good idea. Once they reached the market, they had already settled that they would go off and do as they pleased, being sure to meet back at the same spot within four hours time. Delilah had said it was a good deal, it meant they didn't have to rush around and panic buy. Of course she just wanted some peace and quiet, she smiled as she passed people, bobbing slightly at those she recognised from events she had attended. Once passed the market and away from those asking about her father, she could finally relax, she took a deep breath and started to walk down the path where the shopfronts were. Finally stopping outside one of her favourites.

It was a dress shop, one she could easily afford if she'd wanted something, yet she could never enter the store, whether it was the eyes burning holes in her back. Or maybe it was the fact she just enjoyed seeing the different dresses that were put in the window whenever she was down, it brought a smile to her face, her eyes brightening at the sight of such a stunning dress in one of her favourite purple shades. 

How could she refuse? Honestly it was so beautiful. Almost too beautiful, she just couldn't drag her eyes away from it's design, the way it was made was just so perfect, it was something that she'd definitely ask to try on. But she couldn't move herself toward the door, so she stood, staring, staring so deeply, just imagining what it would have looked like on her. Perfect.

Robert was out for a stroll to clear his mind from all the chaos at home. He had put that dog, Black, or whatever he was called, back in his place, and thereby Pearl as well, or so he hoped. And yet Pearl had not returned home but persisted in her degrading experiment. Hell! He had heard she was going to attend some fisherfolk wedding! And father just allowed it all. Mother seemed too obsessed with herself to notice. Magnus was mostly gone but seemed extremely irritable when he was at home, and no one seemed to bother putting him back in his place either. As for his sisters, Darius seemed the most tolerable, and even then, barely so. It was time to go back to university or they'd have to carry him off to the asylum soon, and yet he was worried of how the drama might further escalate if he was not here to check it.

For now at least, he needed some fresh air and time away from the farce that was his home life, and that was exactly what he was engaged in now. He was dressed in fine clothes of course, complete with cane and top hat, just because he was a Carrington. He did not enjoy passing the market. He didn't understand how those fisher people could stand the smell of their goods. But then again, they themselves smelled, so probably they didn't notice anymore. Anyway, once he had passed the market he found himself in a more salubrious area, with charming little shops and boutiques, selling clothing, fans, porcelain, jet jewelry, and all the expensive items wealthy tourist and a fortunate local minority could afford.

In front of one of the shop windows he noticed an elegant young lady, whom he recognized after a few seconds as Miss Ennington. He had teased and annoyed the girl when they were children, and later, he had seen her several times during social events when he was home from school. He had left her alone then, but it had seemed that every year, she grew prettier. Now he made a beeline for her and appeared beside her. What was she doing out here all alone? "Miss Ennington." He greeted, making a little bow.

She of course was too busy staring at the dress, she didn't even notice as someone stood beside her, until she was shicked back to reality as he spoke. She knew the voice before she even turned to look at him, giving him a slight curtsy out of respect. She looked him over, always so smart. "Mr. Carrington." She responded, an authentic looking smile crossed her lips for a moment.

Her attention on him, made her body turn slightly so she could look at him easily. "Now what would a fin man like yourself be doing in such a place as this?" The sarcasm dripped from her question, she was always so judgemental, not afraid of the dangers of speaking her mind. Even to a man. She tilted her head to the side slightly, taking in his features, oh he had definitely grown into his looks. Rather well.

For a moment she returned her gaze to the dress, before letting out a slight sigh. Oh what a beautiful thing it was, but she was always too tight with her spending. She'd never buy something that she would wear once and then be expected to never wear again. Her eyes fell back onto Robert. "So, how is the big wide world? University must be quite fun." She once again tilted her head, she was always jealous at the fact she would never be able to attend a university, it was a mans world you see.

Robert raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. Was she teasing? For some reason he had not expected that from a young lady of a higher rank and greater fortune than his own. But then again, he had not expected to find her out here alone. Perhaps she was the Pearl type. Someone should do a proper investigation into what young ladies were reading and what they were taught in finishing schools these days. Other than the raising of his brow, he did not show any confusion or disapproval however. Instead, he smiled politely at her.

"It is. Thank you. But there is no place like home." That was not strictly speaking a lie. There was no place like home, and that was a good thing too. Robert was very happy to stay away from it. Not only was his family crazy; this town was dirty and uninteresting. He could not see why tourists came here, unless it was because they were too poor to travel to Scarborough or Brighton. It was hard to keep distance from the working people here. Plus, he missed being surrounded by his friends. The only drama at university was when some pregnant maid sought to get one of his friends to acknowledge paternity, or when they went on a trip to the slums and got into brawls with the residuum. But that kind of drama just gave them a good laugh.

"Now, Miss Ennington, I was about to ask you the same. Whatever brings a fine young lady like yourself out here all alone. You oblige me to accompany you now."

She found herself studying him, wondering what was going on inside that mind of his, of course she knew that speaking in the way she had would cause for a long chat when she got home. But what was the honest harm in having a little fun, verbally at least anyway. She knew she'd touched a nerve when she watched his eyebrow raise, it almost made her want to smile. Maybe it was a slight revenge for how he'd treated her all those years ago, the bullying at events and such, she'd never forgotten of course.

She nodded, allowing the smile she'd been hiding within to surface, that was true. In her very limited travels away from Whitby, she'd never truly understood why returning to the place was such a relief, at least for her. But she knew it was deeper for her parents, they truly weren't happy anymore and her father made that clear by all the late nights. She sighed slightly, looking back toward the dress. "You are lucky you know, getting away from this place." It was only something she could dream of, being able to stay away a few months at a time.

She turned back to him, laughing slightly, he must be joking. Mustn't he? "You are funny, Mr. Carrington." For a moment she suspected him to break into a laughter, to break it was a joke. But it never came. "Honestly, I'm not alone, my sister is about some place, I just stopped to look at this dress. I'm sure she can't be far." She smiled once more. "Don't bother yourself with such a fuss, you looked busy." Honestly, she wouldn't mind his company, it would at least give her someone to converse with. It was up to him now whether he stayed or left, she'd just fed the words to the wrong decision was all.

[CW: sexism]

Was she done with school then? That would send her away for a while. He didn’t know. Perhaps she was too old, or perhaps she hadn’t gone at all and had been tutored at home. In which case surely marriage would be her chance to escape. Wasn’t she old enough for that? Or did she have weird notions like Pearl. For the hundredth time that week, the concern crossed his mind that women weren’t women anymore these days. But he hoped Miss Ennington was only pining for a husband.

His brows furrowed together when she mentioned her sister. Another unchaperoned young lady out and about? Her parents had to be as crazy as his were. “Oh no, Miss Ennington. It would be no bother at all. My pleasure indeed. I do hope your sister at least has a companion? There’s pickpockets and rough folk about.”

She couldn't help but wave off his comments, sure there were people of the dodgy sort around, but not everyone of the poorer class were such. She hated when people were labelled as such, she'd met some lovely lower class women, even men. But one thing she did not approve of were rich, men especially, looking down on people due to their financial situation. Her parents were too bothered by each other to even send anyone to scout them, usually she noticed that if girls were allowed out, there would be a man or teenager not too far behind. But the Ennington's? Well let's just say a mess was forming, but of what kind, they didn't know as of yet.

She looked at him, laughing a little when scrunched his eyebrows. "Oh, fine sir, don't worry she met with friends, she isn't alone." She knew her sister, she had friends from all over, they often met at the market. Something fun for them to do. Delilah turned her attention back to the window. "Well since you are here, Mr. Carrington." She said thoughtfully. "What do you think of this dress?" She didn't bother to look at him again, her eyes taking in every piece of detail, the light purple colour, the darker purple decorations, little patterns that covered the corset top, fading out as it reached the skirt. It was a delightful sight.

"Oh and if you'd be so kind, you could escort me right into the market, I'd like to buy some fruit." She hid her smile, for any rich folk, the market was somewhat hard to stand, she hadn't exactly realised why that was. "But I'd like to just stand and admire this dress a little longer."

Robert visibly relaxed when he heard that the other young lady was with friends. The consequences of Pearl's wandering off alone were all too fresh in his memory. He couldn't stand the idea of another young lady assaulted by some thug, and another good family's name dragged through the mud.

He looked at the dress, not particularly interested. Before he could reply though, she had made another request. Certainly chatty, this one, though he supposed that too much conversation was better than a want of conversation skills in a young lady. The latter would get awkward with her morning calls surely.

"Of course, whenever you are ready." He turned his gaze back on the dress. It was a fine item an it would look good on her, no doubt. "I daresay you hardly need my opinion, as it seems you have already made up your mind that you like it. Why don't you buy it?"

TRIGGER WARNING: talk of killing and sorting game

She had heard about the awful things people had been through, especially young ladies alone in such a place as this, but Delilah was prepared for danger. She was a huntress, she knew how to defend herself, she had been taught by her brothers, as well as being taught to hunt and shoot game, gutting and skinning was a favourite pass time of hers. It allowed for her to bond with the boys, that was when they weren't in school, or helping their father with the upkeep of the house and what not.

She smiled as he spoke about the dress, of course he had no taste, he wan't a woman, he didn't understand the stresses of being one, it all looked so easy, to carry around a child for almost ten months, to be able to do all the jobs a woman should do in that time. Then be the one to raise and treat them like royalty when they arrived, it was usually the fathers place to show a daughter how they should be treated by a man, and for a son to learn workmanship from his father. Women were superior, that was why it was the way it was.

Not that she would openly say that of course. "Well you see, I could buy it, but then I would be expected to wear it in public once, closet it for the rest of my life. Now why would I spend so much on something so perfect, only to wear it one time? It clearly just does not make much sense." She turned her attention back to him, looking over his facial features once more, he was definitely a lot more handsome than when she had last seen him. But then, it always seemed to be the way. "So to answer your question, I don't think I could allow myself to buy something so pretty."

She sighed, her eyes falling back upon the material, the way it made her smile was enough. "Well then, Mr. Carrington. Was there anywhere you needed to go? Since we are companions now, it is only fair you get to choose somewhere." She thought for a moment. "A part from a tavern of course, to go." She then thought again. "Unless you don't want to then that is totally fine."

Robert glanced at the dress again. He had never realized that women only wore a dress once. He tried to picture of what his sisters wore and thought he had seen them wear the same thing more than once, but he wasn't sure. He had never paid attention to it.

He turned his eyes back on the young lady. "Well, that's a shame, for I'm certain few other ladies would be graceful enough to do justice to such a gown. But surely we'll pass here again on our way back to the market. I was about to promenade the east pier." That was a lie. He had been heading towards the 199 steps to climb the cliff and spend some time looking out over the town and sea, but that might be too strenuous for her. He offered her his arm. "And in the mean time, if you will, do tell me what's been going on in this town while I was away."