[MaC] Mingling at the Party: Braham & Marjorie?

[Tara Kunkel]

At 08:24 AM 12/21/2004, you wrote:
>When this group arrived, they found Hodges, the flats' maintenance man, 
>solemnly mixing drinks for Nicola Douglas and Majorie Higgins, the post 
>woman who lived on the ground floor, while Marty Fitzroy gazed 
>avariciously at Miss Diamond.  Also present was the dark young American 
>from Flat 11, Braham Davis and - as usual in the background - Mrs Esme Fitzroy.
>
>Nicola brightened at the sight of new guests and, drink in hand, headed 
>over to greet the new arrivals. 'Thank God. One more minute with that 
>awful Fitzroy and I would have screamed,' she thought.
>
>"Mr. and Mrs. Skeffington-Nottle!" she said warmly. "How delightful to see 
>you. Come, have a drink!"
>
>James smiled at this point, more to himself than anything else.
>
>"Greetings to you,  Miss Douglas." James said pleasantly, turning the 
>smile from himself, to her.  He stepped away from the Skeffington-Nottles 
>and moved into the room, his hazel eyes looking around at the gathered guests.
>
>Lucinda moved forward to greet Nicola.  "What a lovely dress!" she said 
>warmly.  "Did you buy it in New York?  You must have done - all our shops 
>are quite bare now ... "
>
>Oswald, in a practised manoeuvre, moved towards Marty Fitzroy.
>
>"Do tell," he said, "how are you finding the raids are affecting audience 
>figures?"

As guests began to separate into groups and begin to mingle, Braham was 
forced to make a decision. He could take up a position holding up a wall 
and watch, as he often did these days or he could try to spark a 
conversation with someone. While observation has served him well up to the 
this point, it was Christmas. Perhaps it was time to stop studying from 
afar and actually begin to become part of the world he had entered into.

"Miss Higgins, isn't it?" he said to Marjorie as he came up beside her. A 
comfortable distance remained between them as he continued on. "I'm Braham 
Davis. I don't believe we have had a chance to meet." His confidence seemed 
to stop just short of egotistical.