Eva had been in a sickeningly good mood since the Fourth. She and her Frederick were courting now, and thus nothing was wrong in the world. After he'd left on that wonderful day, she'd headed straight to her bedroom, where she'd collapsed on her bed, cried some tears of joy, smiled at the ceiling and then sang the first love song that had come to mind for good measure. 

Later that day, when one of the maids had come to inform her that Great Aunt Yuliya was calling her for luncheon, Eva had gone to her vanity, found some trinket (she'd frankly not miss) and handed it to the rather baffled maid. 'I insist Anna. Take it!' Eva had told the rather bewildered maid. 

That day was no different. Even when one of the maids dropped the jug with her morning coffee, something that would have earned her a scolding from Eva, she merely received a 'Oh, it's quite alright - mistakes happen! And magic can make the stain go away. See, just like this!'

Needless to say that the staff thought Eva ought to be asked to be courted more often.


Victoria was coming over that afternoon, and Eva was excited. They'd arranged for this meeting since before Frederick's visit, so Eva had waited until today to tell her the good news. Oh, Victoria would be so excited! 

When her friend was admitted to the sitting room (the same Frederick had asked to court her only four days ago!), Eva practically jumped from her seat and grabbed her friend's arm. "Oh, Victoria, the best thing has happened!"

Victoria always had such a way with words! Eva burst into laughter at the coat-hanger description, although the news she was about to tell Victoria would have probably had the same effect.

If Eva managed to utter them out. 

"Lord Corcrest paid me a call on the Fourth!" Eva started. "And now--now we're courting, Victoria!"

A few girlish giggles escaped Eva at Vi's reaction. She'd never get tired of telling people that she and Frederick were courting - well, until they were engaged, at least. Truth be told, Eva would get impatient of courting by February. Freddie didn't need to court her, really, he'd already won her over! But etiquette was etiquette, and she they didn't need to give her father more reason to dislike their relationship.

"Well, he came in the morning," Eva started, as if she was about to tell the most exciting tale in the world. And, in a way, she was. "He was dressed to the nines-" She'd gush more over how handsome he'd looked, but that would probably not be very proper. And besides, there were more important things to talk about now. "He came in here, and sat right in this armchair I'm now sitting in. And he was so courteous and polite, he did not dive in to the topic straight away, like a proper gentleman! And then he told me there was a question he wanted to ask me for a long time and-" At this, Eva broke into a gushy sort of laughter.

"She took it well!" Pet was a darling. She was happy for Eva's happiness, unlike their father. Then again, she'd also not met Frederick yet. Eva sure hoped that her sister wouldn't find some fault in him as well. She couldn't care less what her father thought of Freddie, but if Pet disliked him as well... That would hurt her.

"I've arranged for her to meet him on her next Hogsmeade weekend. Which I am very excited about, of course I am, but if I am also being completely honest..." Eva paused at that, trying to think of the best way to express herself without showing any signs of anxiety. "I suppose I hope she likes him."