Lavinia

She checked her appearance once more in the store front before crossing the street to the club. It was a gentlemans club, she knew that, but she also knew it was likely to be full of soldiers and for once in her life curiosity won out over propriety. Besides, she had paperwork for her father!

Approaching the doorman, she tried her best to look like she knew exactly what she was doing "Good afternoon sir, I have some important paperwork here for my father Reginald Swire."

The door man scrutinized her for a moment, decided she was unlikely to start trouble and, with a slight nod of the head, opened the door.

Though modern times had brought electricity to London, the Winchester Arms held fast to tradition, and apart from

the small fogged up windows, the interior was lit only by wall tapers and and a chandelier at least a century old. Visibility was also hindered by the great quantity of cigar smoke that hung in the air. Determined not to look like a silly girl, Lavinia straightened her shoulders and pushed forward, trying to find her father. Therefor she had to get a good look at all the soldiers, he was surely among them!

Her eyes scanned the room, picking out quite a few handsome soldiers before she spotted her father. Sitting in the back corner by the fire he was talking to an officer..and to his right sat the most attractive man Lavinia had laid eyes on, with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

It was while Lavinia was rather distracted that the private sitting at the table next to her decided to get up for another pint. As he slowly pushed out his chair, Lavinia tripped over the leg, and would have very well gone sprawling if not for the strong arm around her waist. Her fathers papers now littering the ground, Lavinia felt her face go Crimson. She turned to face her would-be rescuer, who she could see had dark hair, a sprinkling of freckles across his flushed cheeks-his green eyes had an expression of quiet humour.

He straightened and released her waist, Lavinia noted he was quite tall.

"I'm so verra sorry to have gotten in your way miss" he said, the left side of his mouth lifted slightly, making her think he was perhaps both sorry and amused. Scottish? She wondered, or perhaps welsh.. Trying to compose herself, she responded

"No please, don't trouble yourself. I should have been paying more attention.

Her father, turning to order another drink had recognized her, and walked towards them. "Lavinia? Whatever are you doing here?" Lavinia felt herself blushing again and cursed her fair complexion.

"Daddy! I only came to bring you your papers, you left them on the hall table and I thought they might've been important."

The soldier bent to collect the papers and handed them to her father. He raised an eyebrow "And you are?"

"Corporal Alexander MacMurray, part of the Royal Scottish Medical Dispatchment, Sir, Miss."

Reggie smiled at his daughter, he knew she was often in search of diversion. "Pleasure to meet you . I am Reginald Swire and this is my daughter, Lavinia. Lavinia dear, these papers were indeed important, but you needn't have brought them down here yourself, Andrews could have delivered them." He smiled to himself, as shy as his daughter was, he knew she must have come to catch a glimpse of the soldiers.

It was then Alex saw his chance. " , sir, I'm afraid in my haste to rise from my seat I nearly tripped your lovely daughter." He quickly stole another glance at Lavinia. "Might I redeem myself by escorting her home safely?" He tried to look as gentlemanly as possible, while his arm still tingled slightly where he had wrapped it round her tiny waist. He'd be surrounded by soldiers at the front, was currently dining with his unit, when she walked in -he'd never seen a lass half so fine in all of Edinburgh. She was petite and fair, her hair not a blazing red like that of his cousins, but a softer rose-gold. He tore his gaze away, waiting to see if her father thought him too bold.

Lavinia too, waited for her fathers answer. Surely they lived so near there was no harm. She was unused to this feeling, wanting to spend time with a man. Oh sure, she'd had her season like all of her friends; had danced with potential suitors, one or two with whom she took tea. But by and large she found them too intimidating, too loud, too patronizing. Alexander MacMurray was not like the other men she knew..and she was drawn to him.

As her father watched the two alternately looking at him and at each other he chuckled. They didn't live too far away and Lavinia seemed to be inclined to take him up on his offer, he trusted his daughters instincts. "Well it is highly unusual, but we are at War after all. You may escort my daughter home, but Lavinia I expect you to telephone my secretary the moment you get in." Lavinia nodded her head, smiling. " , if you'd be so kind as to point out your superior officer?"

After speaking with the Doctor, Reggie watched the two leave the club, shook his head, smiling. He returned to his table, keen to talk to the fellow on his left, he could have sworn him talking about the House of Parliament, perhaps the fellow knew law.

Matthew

It was remarkable, Matthew thought as he sat in the dimly lit pub, the brains ability to compartmentalize. For the last year, as he'd trained and fought and dodged shells, his mind was clear and focused-survive. In his resting moments and now at the start his first week-long leave, his mind was a jumble. His bruises and scratches and even where a bullet had grazed his arm-all had healed, yet when he thought about how tomorrow morning he would be on a train to York and then home to Crawley house-and its proximity to Mary

his heartbreak still felt like a fresh wound.

His crushing disappointment when he'd broken off their engagement had pushed him to get away, everything in the village had reminded him of her, of the future he'd envisioned. He'd wound up in Manchester, drowning his sorrows with his old university friends, and eventually signing up with a Manchester battalion.

Now, close to a year after he'd left for France, it felt like it happened both yesterday and in another lifetime. Matthew was drawn briefly from thoughts by the sight of a pretty, fair girl who had just entered. He had occasionally wished he had a sweetheart to write to, as many of his men did. Some promise of happiness, someone to reassure him there was light at the end of the tunnel. After all he'd done in the past year...he shuddered and closed his eyes. He had no right to try and entangle some innocent woman into his troubles. He rolled his shoulders and took another drink, trying to focus on the fact that he'd be seeing his mother, sleeping in his bed instead of a hard cot, smelling fresh air and eating real food. He smiled faintly, for he really was looking forward to the feast that mother would have preparing.

The man next to him caught his attention,

"Hello sir" he said,"Did I hear you say you're a lawyer?"

Ah work, that was sure to divert him until he could retire to his room.