Albina smiled at Atlas, maybe she had in fact judged him too quickly. "No offence taken, Lord Atlas. There have been moments in my life when I’ve yearned to be a gentlemen, if only for the freedoms and opportunities they enjoy. As a lady, I find myself with countless dreams and aspirations that often seem beyond my reach." her thoughts somewhat drifted off, thinking about how much she would like to travel and study, things her brother could but she herself, she simply had not many of those same opportunities. Sometimes she felt jealous of her brother, he enjoyed his freedom, even as a Marquees and head of the house, he could do whatever he pleased. Leaving Albina behind with the day to day responsibilities of running the Northwick household along her mother. In many way however, Albina had been more of a mother to her younger sisters than her mother had ever been. Even right now, he was supposed to be here tonight, but he had not showed up. If Albina would decide to be late for such an event, that would raise questions and her mother would have yet another outburst, where her brother could just get away with it, simply because he was a gentleman. “It is a complicated matter, is it not? How to balance your desires with responsibilities?”
“No need for forgiveness, sir. Your company is quite delightful.” these words were spoken honestly and with a genuine smile on her face. While maybe this dance with Atlas had not felt as passionately as the one she shared with Orpheus, she did enjoy how she could truthfully speak her mind with Atlas, and he challenged her mind. Furthermore, she enjoyed having seen him for who he is, rather than solely as Adeline’s brother. "While I am here with an open heart hoping to find love this season, I am similarly as open to pleasant conversations and a dance. One never knows what the future may hold, after all, or could have hold if I were to not explore all my options." she paused for a second to focus on their dance, before answering his question. "I am in search of a gentleman who holds my independence in high regard and is willing to support my aspirations and ambitions. Intellect is also something I long for in a gentleman. It is my desire to be esteemed for more than just my appearance myself, for I consider myself a lady of intelligence." she thought out loud, more or less rambling on not thinking much about what she was saying. “Furthermore, I yearn for a gentleman with an adventurous spirit, someone who could accompany me on journeys to explore distant places.” she then realised maybe she had spoken a bit too much, and decided to return the question: "What qualities, Lord Atlas, do you seek in a wife?" once again, her eyes found his, curious about his answer.
@sunflowerjm - Atlas