questions, answers

[Augustus Browne]

Datestamp: 7th of November

Augustus was the type of person who did not care about the class, blood or last name of those who intended to marry his children, of course he would have a very hard time accepting if any of them wished to marry a lower-class person, but he trusted his children to have enough sense to see that it would be a stupid choice for them. But other than that, he only held his childrens happiness in his mind.

That was one of the reasons it had been so easy for him to accept that Odira would rather work than go through the season like most other girls on her age. Since then he had hardly even thought about it - she seemed happy and she did not complain or anything. He knew that Aurelia was not happy with his acceptance of it, but he had not cared, it was more important that Odira was happy with her decision. He hoped for her that eventually she would get married, but it was not something that needed to happen soon in his opinion.

  

[Bennet Potter]

It was with great trepidation that, after gaining Odira's consent to marry him, Bennet went to seek out Mr. Augustus Browne. He had been pointed towards the other man's study, but Bennet could not help but want to drag his feet like an unruly child. After all, he had not reacted well at all when Mr. Echelon-Arnost had simply been announced as Lyra's fiance, and yet now here he was affianced to Odira without having spoken first to her father.

As he knocked on the door, Bennet felt both alone and defenseless. He had no real excuse for what he had done. The first time, certainly, he had asked if Odira would allow him to approach her father; this time, he had wanted to actually ask her hand.

It was only his own potential for embarrassment should he ask her father and then be rejected that had kept him from doing this properly, and now that Odira had said yes he felt as though that had been foolish. Perhaps, however, Mr. Browne would forgive Bennet and grant his blessing.

  

[Augustus Browne]

Augustus would usually work on the shop's books in the shop, but because the year was closing in, he found it more useful to take the books with him to his home while there was still some sun light, and then work on it at home in his study. Because then at least he would not have to walk back home in the quickly creeping darkness. And that way it was easier for his family to find him. Though it was hardly a problem, if he was not at home, then it was most likely that he was in the shop, and they knew it almost as well as he did by now.

As someone knocked on the door, he looked up surprised but it was better to deal with it directly. "Yes, please - feel free to enter." he called out and looked at the door, wondering who it could be that would disturb him, though he would still give them a fair chance of talking with him, before he made a decision about being annoyed or angry. There was no reason to be angry if there prooved to be no reason to be it, and their rarely was when it came to his children.

  

[Bennet Potter]

Stepping into Mr. Browne's study only intensified the feeling that Bennet had done something wrong. After all, he had been put in the position that he had now placed Mr. Browne in and not liked it — but at least he could tell himself that he was approaching Mr. Browne now.

"Mr. Browne, I'm sorry to bother you," Bennet said awkwardly. "My name is Bennet Potter — and I am afraid I have something to confess."

  

[Augustus Browne]

Augustus looked surprised when it was not his wife or any of his children who sought him out today, but Mr. Bennet Potter of all people. It was definitely a surprise, but he guessed that it would concern Odira then. Afterall, Odira did work for him, but he did not think that Odira would be one to cause trouble at her work, she was always so sensible and mild.
"Mr. Potter, it is far from a bother." he said and gestured towards one of the free chairs in the room, offering him to sit while they talked.

The fact that Bennet said he had something to confess did peak his interest, but he was still waiting for the confession to come. "It sounds interesting, and slightly worrying. Please, feel free to speak." he said calmly, though a small part of him was slightly scared of what it could be.

  

[Bennet Potter]

Bennet folded his hands behind his back in order to keep from fidgeting (at least as much as possible) and took a deep breath. Then all there was to do was begin.

"I am afraid that I have gone about this the wrong way, but after — well, I suppose that is the place to begin. In early August, I asked your daughter Odira if she would be opposed to the idea of my approaching you about her hand, and she rejected me. I had been attempting to think of us as only friends, but have found this impossible, and today I came to call on your daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. She has accepted, and now I feel compelled to apologize for proposing marriage without first asking your permission. I must beg your forgiveness, and hope that you will consent at least to give us your blessing."

  

[Augustus Browne]

Augustus just looked at Bennet while he quickly explained the reason he was here to begin with, as well as some of the background - a rather understand thing to do given that Odira had asked him not to continue the usual way the first time. He was not sure what to think of all of this, usually he was not much for highly important things like marriage and proposals to go out of tradition and order, but when he thought about it, then it was slowly turning into more acceptable for him.

"I can see how the attempt of trying to think of her as a friend can be hard if you have feelings enough for her to ask in the first place, especially considering that she is working for you." he said. "Please, take a seat." he offered once again.

"Odira is a sensible lady, she thinks all things through before she makes a decision, especially when it is one that can and will affect the rest of her life. However, I do have my concerns, as I do with all my daughter's husbands. You see, I wish for my daughter's to be happy. I am not of the believe that it is a life in the upper-class with the right name that always brings this. I want to be sure that you marry her for the right reasons." he said calmly, though he had never had reason to doubt Odira's judgment, nor was he aware of any reason's why Bennet would marry Odira if he did not feel something for her. As the minister's brother, he did not think it would be hard for Bennet to find an upper-class girl as a wife if that was all he intended.

  

[Bennet Potter]

Belatedly, Bennet took the offered seat. He wasn't good at this — not at fathers, and not at people in general. He was just grateful that Mr. Browne had not immediately tossed Ben out of the house and forbidden him from ever seeing Odira again.

"I love your daughter," Ben said earnestly. "I promised myself that I would not marry for anything less, and I cannot imagine myself being happy except with your daughter as my wife." That was something that his brief engagement to that Gisella woman had taught him — not to completely sacrifice his happiness for duty. He had thought he had loved Siobhan and so proposed to her. Perhaps he had even loved her ... but it was nothing compared to what he felt for Odira.

  

[Augustus Browne]

Augustus took a deep breath before he sighed and looked down while he thought about all of this. "You sound honest, and it is noble to wish to marry for love. I have done so myself and I know how right it feels. I cannot possibly take that feeling away from you, and especially not from Odira." he said before he looked up at Bennet.

"From what I know about you, Mr. Potter, then you are a good man. Odira obviously trust you, and if she did not wish to become your wife, then I do not think she would have accepted your proposal." he continued calmly.

"I trust you to make her happy. You really seemed like you were sorry for asking her before asking me. You can have my blessing." he said with a smile and almost instantly he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He just hoped that Odira was aware of what she went into.

  

[Bennet Potter]

A physical weight lifted off of Ben's shoulders when Mr. Browne gave his blessing. He had been so worried that he would be forbidden from marrying Odira. He would have felt compelled to listen if Mr. Browne had laid down such an edict, but it would have broken his heart.

"For the second time today, I find myself as happy as a man can be," Ben sighed. He did love Odira, he loved her dearly, and he was very glad that he would not have to worry about her father being against their marriage.

  

[Augustus Browne]

"I am happy to hear this, though I hope her answer gave you more joy than my blessing. She is a wonderful young lady, and I cannot imagine her ever doing anything she does not feel her heart completely in." he said with a smile. Augustus had never heard anything bad about Mr. Potter, and he did not felt a strange or creepy vibe that made him suspicious about letting his daughter get married to the young man.

"Now, I hope Odira has told my wife about all of this, but my guess is that she will be very happy for the both of you." he said with a smile as he stood from his chair.

  

[Bennet Potter]

"Odira," how odd to call her by her given name! "I believe, has gone to inform Mrs. Browne while I came to speak to you." Ben was feeling a little flushed; he was going to marry Odira Browne. He was going to marry Odira Browne. His life was perfect.

  

[Augustus Browne]

"Well, then I guess we should go and find them. Odira might need the two of us to get out of my wife's happiness for the turn of things. And I might as well make Odira happy with knowing that the two of you have my blessing." he said and moved towards the door, to open it and allow his apparent future son-in-law to walk out before him so they could go talk with Aurelia and Odira.