She looked him directly in his eyes as she spoke, “Your sentiments resonate with me deeply, and I can certainly understand the longing for a life of exploration and freedom.” In reality, exactly that was what Albina wanted more than anything else for herself. To have the freedom to be herself, to pursuit her dreams, to not have all the responsibilities that tied her to her family. To not have to live up to everything that was expected from a lady.
As Atlas mentioned it would be in his best interest not to handle an intriguing lady, Albina felt some disappointment, but also some mild rejection. This was the second time tonight she had felt a sense of rejection, first with Orpheus running off after their dance, and now Atlas saying what Albina interpreted as him not wanting to get to know her better, him not wanting to handle her. While last year she had been the one to reject most of the gentlemen, it feels like this year she was the one being rejected. This when both these gentlemen had been nicer, much closer to her age, and more compatible with her than most gentlemen she had danced with last season had been. She knew it was part of the season, that rejection was part of finding the gentleman who was right for her. She had been aware already that Atlas had no interest in finding love or getting married this season. That did not take away however that it did throw her off a bit, it was no longer about him not wishing to marry in general, it was on a much more personal level that Albina felt rejected, for being the way she was. This lead to her no longer feeling quite like her most confident self for a brief moment. No, no, I can’t allow this to make me insecure, it is their loss - I am Albina Northwick. No gentleman should have the power to make me feel insecure. She told herself, and then forced a smile on her face again, and with that, her curiosity started taking over: “Pray, tell me, why do you believe it to not be in your best interest to handle a lady much like myself?”
She felt this mental push and pull with Atlas, the one moment she felt as he said himself, that he was intrigued by her and he wanted to pull her closer to him, but the next moment she felt pushed away by him. What they were searching for in life and in a companion, they aligned so well on, almost too well Albina thought. But the way they viewed the season, love and romance, they were oceans apart. As he spoke to her about him just wanting to go wherever his ship takes him, that idea excited something in Albina. As he whispered: “I would not mind having company on my next trip.”, Albina felt a mixture of emotions; excitement as she would adore something like that, sadness cause it was nothing more than dreams that she could do something like that, unless she were to be married. She whispered back: “So, Lord Atlas, you do not wish to get married or find love this season, but would not mind having company in the form of a lady for your next trip? My, my, you are full of surprises! Society’s expectations can be rather confining, are you aware how much society would frown upon such matters?”, she said challenging him in a playful manner as she now took a step back, with the dance requiring them to separate again, and she wanted to not raise suspicion by whispering too much or holding on longer to their close proximity than what was deemed respectable, therefore she also continued speaking with her usual voice: “But I must say, your adventurous spirit and approach to exploration is quite appealing. It seems you have a taste for the unconventional, and I must admit, it’s rather refreshing. Who knows, perhaps we’ll become the talk of the ton with our scandalous travels.” this last sentence was whispered into his ear, as the dance had once again pulled them closer, and Albina wanted no one but Atlas to be able to hear those words.
@sunflowerjm - Atlas