[Drabble] Compromises
May. 14th, 2016 12:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marinabeauvais"Here is the paper." If she shoves the thick, bound sheaf of papers towards the other with a little more force than necessary, the Vivacious Baronness does not mention it.
"Great!" The young woman cradles the essay in her arms. As if it were her child, and not mine; as if she had done countless hours of research, burning, as they say, the midnight oil, in between everything else I had to do. "Oh, Mademoiselle Beeyuvase, how will I ever repay you?"
If Marina is annoyed by the mangling of her last name, she does not show it. "You may repay me by, as you had promised, giving me the sum I am due."
The Baronness pouts. "All business, all the time. My goodness, you're a boring sort!" Ignoring, or perhaps not even noticing at all, the way the other's countenance somehow becomes even more frigid, she pulls out a chequebook, opens it, and rips out the first page.
"Here, then," she says. "Redeemable at the nearest bank you academic sorts frequent. I subtracted a little from what was agreed, of course, since you gave this to me so late and all, but everything is in order--I promise you that."
An imperceptible tightening of the jaw. "Thank you," Marina replies, tone unreadable, "for going through such trouble for someone such as I."
"No worries, no worries! Anything's worth not getting booted out right before my final term, hmm?" She laughs, the sound odd in the stillness of the Forgotten Quarter. "Anyway, I must be heading out now; Papa might throw a fit if I come home too late!"
"Goodbye; may you reach home safely."
Marina watches the young woman climb into her landau and depart, her face half-hidden in shadow.
"Great!" The young woman cradles the essay in her arms. As if it were her child, and not mine; as if she had done countless hours of research, burning, as they say, the midnight oil, in between everything else I had to do. "Oh, Mademoiselle Beeyuvase, how will I ever repay you?"
If Marina is annoyed by the mangling of her last name, she does not show it. "You may repay me by, as you had promised, giving me the sum I am due."
The Baronness pouts. "All business, all the time. My goodness, you're a boring sort!" Ignoring, or perhaps not even noticing at all, the way the other's countenance somehow becomes even more frigid, she pulls out a chequebook, opens it, and rips out the first page.
"Here, then," she says. "Redeemable at the nearest bank you academic sorts frequent. I subtracted a little from what was agreed, of course, since you gave this to me so late and all, but everything is in order--I promise you that."
An imperceptible tightening of the jaw. "Thank you," Marina replies, tone unreadable, "for going through such trouble for someone such as I."
"No worries, no worries! Anything's worth not getting booted out right before my final term, hmm?" She laughs, the sound odd in the stillness of the Forgotten Quarter. "Anyway, I must be heading out now; Papa might throw a fit if I come home too late!"
"Goodbye; may you reach home safely."
Marina watches the young woman climb into her landau and depart, her face half-hidden in shadow.
