Tiffany's|Victor/Lady C; Casual

[JACK THE RIPPER]

“How’s this one?” Victor looked down at the woman standing beside him, who was holding a small silver pendant to her neck. He and the woman, Katrina, had been familiar for a few months, since they’d met at some sort of fundraiser. To be honest, Victor hadn’t even paid attention to what kind of gathering it was; he had just been there to be seen. Making friends in high places was his specialty, and how he’d climbed up the social ladder in the first place, and why he was standing in Tiffany&Co.’s most expensive location in Manhattan, with the heiress to a fortune in the stock market.

“Beautiful, of course. Gotta say, your neck compliments it more than it compliments your neck.” Victor grinned when that comment was met by a girlish giggle. He tentatively turned over the price tag and looked down at it with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, you don’t have to get it!” she said, her smile faltering a little. “I can buy it.”

“No! No, I insist.” His grin returned as a reassuring smile, carefully lifting the necklace out of her hands. “It really isn’t that much.” To her, he wasn’t lying- six hundred dollars was pocket change to this girl -but he was more lying to himself. It was a bit out of his usual price range, which was as cheap as he could get it while still impressing whatever woman he sought.

Her expression changed to a warm blush, looking at him fondly. “Victor, you’re too good to me.” He knew that she knew that he wasn’t as rich as he acted, and certainly not as rich as she was. He’d do, of course, and he was accepted because of his exceptional charm and taste. The man was surprisingly charismatic; how could anyone, anyone guess what he did in his spare time?

“Perhaps,” he said, in mock-exhaustion, looking at her through the corner of his eye. “But would you rather I wasn’t?”

“No,” she giggled. “No, not at all... in fact, I-” Katrina cut off, looking over his shoulder as if she were a deer caught in headlights. Victor frowned, glancing over his shoulder and then back at her.

“What?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He hadn’t seen anything peculiar when he’d glanced.

“Oh no,” she mumbled, her shoulders slouching. “It’s her.”

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

Her Ladyship, The Right Honourable Lady Catherine Beatrice de Bourgh, was on one of her frequent shopping trips. Despite recent guilt trips and subsequent donations to good causes, Lady Catherine could never resist a good dose of retail therapy (although, in truth, it wasn't warranted).

She'd already been to order yet another Chanel suit (in lilac) and having done so had popped into Starbucks for her usual vanilla latte. This done she instructed her driver to take her to Tiffany's, for what was a new suit without some new jewellery to go with it?

Having perused the cases near the front of the store and seen nothing sufficiently overpriced, Lady Catherine proceeded further into the store. As she did so she happened to overhear a couple and, having recognized the woman's voice, she made her way towards the pair, her smile growing as she did so.

"Katrina!" she crowed. "Delighted to see you again, my dear!"

It was only then that Her Ladyship's attention shifted to the man at her side.

"And who might this young fellow be?"

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Hello, Lady Catherine," Katrina said with a twinkling smile, feigning happiness expertly. Being at the top of the food chain must have given her a lot of practice with faking pleasure and happiness. The heiress glanced at Victor, who was standing closer to Lady Catherine than she was. "Er, this is my friend, Victor Griffiths."

Victor looked at Her Ladyship, a charming smile lighting up his face. Ah, so this was Lady Catherine de Bourgh! He knew of her, but he had never actually met her. Though he had heard terrible things about her, it was never a bad thing to make more friends- ones with deep pockets, especially. Tentatively, so as not to come across as pushy, he held out one gloved hand to shake. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Catherine. Miss Katrina's told me nothing but good things about you- so good to put a face to the name."

Katrina lifted her fingers to her face, gnawing nervously on her fingernails. If Her Ladyship didn't approve of Victor, then she knew that she would not be allowed to see him anymore, if only because of the woman's influence on their circle of friends. And she really quite liked Victor! One could never tell with Lady Catherine, though.

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

"Hello Lady Catherine...Er, this is my friend, Victor Griffiths."

Lady Catherine raised an eyebrow as she turned her attention from Katrina to Victor again. Just what did she mean by 'friend'? It was typical of Her Ladyship to want to pry into matters that weren't her own, even in places like this where her nosiness was painfully obvious to those she was speaking to and everyone in the vicinity.

The smile on Victor's face served to change Lady Catherine's initial scepticism somewhat. He was rather a pleasant looking fellow, she had to admit. The way in which he extended his hand to shake was also pleasant; he was a well mannered man, to be certain.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Catherine. Miss Katrina's told me nothing but good things about you- so good to put a face to the name."

"Of course she has," Her Ladyship replied as she shook Griffiths hand with her usual egotism and vigour. She let Victor's hand go and gave him a critical once over. Yes...it wouldn't be a disgrace for her acquaintance to be seen with him.

"How did the pair of you meet, then? Do tell."

Her Ladyship ignored Katrina's gnawing of her fingernails, although inwardly she felt a little disgusted by the gesture.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor kept his bright smile up, both amused and annoyed with the woman's attitude. He'd learned to be passive with people like her, though, and most of all, always to agree with whatever opinion they might express. Vehemently.

Katrina took her hands from her mouth, folding them in front of her. "He's a friend of my brother's. We met at one of Xavier's opening night galas." Oh, Victor remembered now- her brother wrote music, and quite well at that. He certainly was rich enough.

He leaned backward against the case a bit, so that Lady Catherine could speak to Katrina without having to speak over his shoulder. He grit his teeth through his smile, thinking of what Her Ladyship was bound to ask next. What did he do? Was he supposed to tell her he owned a bar? Oh, for god's sakes, what could he tell her he did...?

Perhaps if he could avoid the question. "That was just last year, wasn't it?"

"A few months ago, yes." Katrina nodded nervously.

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

"He's a friend of my brother's. We met at one of Xavier's opening night galas."

"Ah yes," Her Ladyship replied with a firm nod. "Xavier...charming young man. Haven't seen him in some time; I hope he's doing well."

In truth, Lady Catherine didn't really like Xavier; his music was not at all to her taste and nor was his name. But she wasn't about to point that out.

"That was just last year, wasn't it?"

"A few months ago, yes."

"I see, I see. How lovely."

Her Ladyship paused, distracted momentarily by a particularly ornate brooch in the nearby cabinet. Having taken a moment to examine the price and deemed it below her, she returned her attention to the conversation at hand. They would think her interruption rude, surely, considering who she was.

"Mr. Griffiths, might I inquire as to how you came to be at Xavier's gala? Do you work in the music industry yourself?"

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Xavier...charming young man. Haven't seen him in some time; I hope he's doing well."

To this, they both nodded and Katrina said, "He's been doing fine."

Victor watched silently as Her Ladyship inspected the brooch nearest to her; apparently, though, she wasn't satisfied and so turned her attention back to the couple. Victor held back a snicker- too low in price, he guessed. Even though it was quite pretty?

"Mr. Griffiths, might I inquire as to how you came to be at Xavier's gala? Do you work in the music industry yourself?"

Shit.

His smile didn't falter a millimeter. "You certainly might- ah, no... I don't, actually. Never was much of a musician." He glanced at Katrina, who still looked quite nervous, and then back at Lady Catherine. "I wholesale tobacco primarily, and own a restaurant on the side... it's not glamorous work, but it'll do for now." For now. Ha. As if he'd ever be accepted into medical school. His work work was the closest he could come to his dream.

Victor flashed her another smile and then nodded his head toward the brooch. "You know, Your Ladyship, I think that brooch would compliment your outfit quite well." Oh god, he probably sounded like a gay... even if he was just trying to come across as flattering.

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

"He's been doing fine."

"Good, good."

"You certainly might- ah, no... I don't, actually. Never was much of a musician. I wholesale tobacco primarily, and own a restaurant on the side... it's not glamorous work, but it'll do for now."

Her Ladyship nodded, somewhat sympathetically. It really didn't sound glamorous; that and she dissaproved of tobacco. She wasn't about to pint this out; however she mentally added it to the pros and cons list she was making about this Griffiths man. This was one of the few negatives...but who knew what else might crop up?

"You know, Your Ladyship, I think that brooch would compliment your outfit quite well."

Lady Catherine looked momentarily confused before realizing Victor must have seen her glance at the brooch. She smiled somewhat hesitantly back at him, pleased at the compliment.

"You do, do you?" she replied, somewhat curious as to what made him think this.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor held back a wince. It was very clear, to him at least, that she didn't care at all for his work. It was a good thing to know, though, that he would have to avoid talking about it in any future conversation. And who knew what kind of good things she was thinking about him; that was the whole aim, wasn't it?

His grin mellowed itself into a friendly smile at seeing her looking quite pleased. At least he knew how to distract this lady, though he figured that perhaps he was only beginning to scratch the surface regarding how difficult she was.

"You do, do you?"

Victor nodded to the brooch. "The metalwork is brass, like your buttons... and I think the shade is nice with that suit." He stood up a little straighter, laughing, "But what do I know about fashion?"

Katrina joined him in some nervous laughter.

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

"The metalwork is brass, like your buttons... and I think the shade is nice with that suit."

Her Ladyship looked at the brooch as Victor did, with somewhat renewed interest. She had to admit, it would go well with this suit, quite well indeed...

"But what do I know about fashion?"

This and the pair's laughter brought Her Ladyship's attention back to them and away from the brooch. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of this.

"If you choose to advise me about my fashion choices, Mr. Griffiths, I would hope you would know something, at least."

This was said in a tone that indicated she was a little bit displeased with the whole affair...not most seriously displeased, as yet, but who knew where this may lead? Her Ladyship was an easy person to upset and an even more dificult person to please.