Albina raised an eyebrow as Harrison dramatically spoke her name and even had the courage to suggest she could become Countess Davis. “Yes, always Albina, but I’ll never be Countess Davis.” she replied with a overly dramatic roll of her eyes, not easily swayed or impressed by his theatrics. “I must remind you, sir, that I declined your invitation for a dance last year, brave indeed to consider marriage.” she smiled innocently as she said this, she actually found joy some joy in teasing him about this.
Harrison’s claim that he could make her smile elicited a wry grin from Albina. “But well, it appears you have a talent for surprising me, Lord Davis. I confess, your wit is more entertaining than the typical polite courtesies exchanged in these ballrooms. But one smile does not change an entire reputation, now, does it?” she said challenging him on his reputation, which was far from perfect. She knew that, he knew that, yet she was sure Harrison wouldn’t be agreeing with her.
She replied to him saying she had broken his heart with: “Oh, Lord Davis, you paint a dramatic picture of your heartbreak, especially considering it never was broken by me.” She met his teasing her, and challenged him once again, “Your heart’s mending is your own responsibility, Lord Davis. Perhaps you could start by ceasing to be the center of your own universe,” she suggested, her words holding a subtle edge, but brought in a playful manner. While she had been aware he had moved closer, she thought he was doing it to get a reaction out of her. So she was gonna stay wherever she was staying, not giving him the pleasure of seeing her react to him getting closer whatsoever.
When Harrison mentioned travelers forgetting themselves, Albina’s response was laced with subtle defiance, but also a touch more softness as he had found a topic that caught her attention and she was passionate about. “Traveling does have a way of sweeping us into its adventures, doesn’t it? It’s easy to lose oneself in the midst of it all, only to return home with stories and experiences that can hardly be contained within our hearts.” while she had not travelled much, she understood what Harrison was saying on a deep level. “Returning to the familiar can be rather tedious, don’t you think? I’d much rather explore the unknown,” she remarked with a daring smile yet there was a truth behind her words. She would sacrifice a lot to be living the live of travel Harrison was living.
Albina met Harrison’s words with a challenge of her own, her tone confident and playful. “Oh, I have no doubt that humbling you would be a most entertaining endeavor, Lord Davis,” she replied, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “But let’s not be too hasty. The game has just begun, and the outcome remains uncertain. I do enjoy a worthy challenge, and it appears you’re determined not to make it easy for me to win this, shall we call it a wager?” With a subtle smile, she added, “Seeing the indomitable Lord Davis meet his match might be a spectacle worth savoring. The question is, are you ready to test your… resilience, my lord?” Her words were imbued with a playful daring, hinting at the intriguing season that lay ahead.
@Kristi- Harrison