xxxMolly’s Hesitant Reply – 221

Molly scolds Claire for her giddy fantasy, yet secretly falls under its spell and outlines how the magic might unfold.

My dear, ridiculous Claire,

Really — must you turn every passing glance into a proposal? The way you carry on, one would think Adam had offered you a crown instead of an awkward dinner invitation. I can already hear Byron snorting into his sleeve, and Percy whispering “poor Adam” like a schoolboy passing notes. You are a menace, Claire — and worse, you know it.

And yet…

Blast it, you’ve entangled me. As much as I would scold you for chasing phantoms, I find myself picturing it too — the hush of the corridor, Adam’s grave expression softening just for you, and then the sudden glitter of possibility. A court dinner! Franklin at one end of the table, all winks and mischief; Wollstonecraft at the other, sharp-eyed and ready to pounce on any foolish remark.

I can see the chandeliers swaying with candlelight, powdered wigs and silks rustling, your cheeks a brighter blush than the wine. Perhaps Franklin leans close to ask your opinion on liberty — half jest, half test — and you, giddy and cornered, blurt out something that makes the whole table laugh. Even Wollstonecraft cannot suppress a smile, though she quickly masks it with a lecture.

So here I am, caught between sense and spectacle. Part of me says no — this is folly, and Adam will regret it. But another part, the part you tug awake with your mischief, whispers yes — let us conjure it, let us slip through time and find ourselves in that luminous hall. If you make a fool of yourself, Claire, I shall be there to catch you.

Yours in reluctant complicity,
Molly