The florists shop was filled with a rainbow of color. The heady scent of flowers curled cloyingly against his nostrils as he stood there, looking at the various cuts of flowers and pressing his lips together in indecision. "I think she likes roses, but I haven't ever purchased flowers for my mother," he said apologetically.

Olivia had been dragooned into accompanying Alice to town for a dress fitting. She obviously couldn't go by herself, but mother was ill..again, and Olivia was certain that Alice wasn't going to ask Pearl - wherever she was. So, having passed the requisite time in the haberdashery, Olivia exacted a measure of revenge by insisting on stopping at a florist.

"..I would never have believed it myself," Olivia said to her sister as she crossed the threshold of the shop mid-gossip "except Prudence told me -" Olivia walked straight into a man waiting for his flowers. "Oh!"

Thorne turned to look at the second daughter of Magnus Carrington, and he almost groaned. He recognized Olivia even if she did not recognize him. The only one he'd ever had his eyes on had been the youngest of the three, and she, apparently, was missing right now. "Hello," he said in an awkward tone, knowing it would be impolite now to back away from her, especially with her brother freshly buried and her sister... "Good day, Miss Carrington... I've heard your younger sister is still at large... any word?"

The gentleman fitted the description Alice had given her of a recent tea guest to the house. Olivia recalled her sister's remarks were something to the effect of "his beard looked to prickly" and so he no longer held her interest. Olivia didn't see what all the fuss was about, he looked rather yummy.

"You seem to have the advantage of me, sir. Alice, why don't you introduce me?" an introduction was made.

"A pleasure, Mister Culpepper. As for my sister, she has not yet returned from her travels." Olivia said obfuscating the truth.

"Well, my mother and I have your family in our thoughts. Aye, I am Thorne Culpepper. I thought you might have remembered me from your brother's..." He grimaced and then turned to look at the bouquet in question. Thorne shook his head. He wasn't actually sorry that the son of a bitch brother of hers was dead... well, the worst of the lot anyways. Ugh, how in the hell did he disentangle himself from this awful family?

"If you'll excuse me..?" he asked. Then he looked back at the vendor and said, "On second thought, could I get gardenias? I think that is her favorite flower. Yes, Seven gardenias. Ummm, baby's breath?"

"Culpepper? Is that any relation to judge Culpepper the magistrate?" Olivia asked quickly, desperate to keep the conversation going.

"That would be me," he said without looking at her. "Ahh, very pretty," he said. Then he glanced over to the attractive Carrington sister. She looked a little mopey for his tastes, but he knew why and he knew it wasn't her brother she was mopey over. "Allow me to extend my sympathies to you for the loss of your fiance." He said kindly.

"Your kind words are most welcome, Mister Culpepper." Olivia replied. "Forgive me, Mister Culpepper, my sister neglected to mention if you are engaged in Whitby on business or leisure."

"I am home to stay," he said, paying for the flowers and having them wrapped for his mother. He tilted his head at her.

"How wonderful. Well then, may I say welcome home, Mister Culpepper. Should you need guides to re-acquaint you with the current state of things here in Whitby, myself, - and my sister -, would assume that responsibility with the utmost gravity."