Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

The Opera

The night of the opera had come, and I was currently waiting in my aqua silk gown downstairs while Louise finished brushing down my cape. Rigel had decided that it looked like a good spot to sleep, and had managed to pull it down from where it was hung and curled up on it. Meaning that it had gotten wrinkled and covered in hair, and I was merely relieved that he hadn't managed to spot it with his slobber. He was getting bigger, and he had developed quite an attachment to both Will and I since he had been in from the ship. In fact, Will was currently playing with him, tugging on a rope and managing to keep his tuxedo clean while he did it. Louise reappeared from the stairs with my cape, white silk and fur, beaded designs tracing the sleeves, and she hurriedly tied me into it. "A thousand apologies once again, Miss Dalian. I should have noticed that he had pulled it down."

Will chuckled as she shot a glare at Rigel, "And he's only going to get bigger. And hairier."

"Lord preserve us." Peggy sighed from where she was waiting at the door. "Are you sure that you won't let me keep him in the kitchens, Miss Anastasia?"

"Oh, no." I replied, giving Rigel a scratch before pulling my gloves on. "He's so attached now, I couldn't."

"Then at least out of your bed?" Peggy asked as she took Will's top hat from Reggie and handed it to him.

He grinned at that, "The only way you're going to get her to kick that dog out of her bed is to bribe her." With that, he took my arm and we both got into the waiting carriage. I managed to arrange my cape so that it wouldn't wrinkle during the trip to the opera house, and I reached over to adjust Will's lapels. He caught my hands as I did. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you," I replied, straightening his lapels and letting my hands rest against him. "You look very handsome."

"I look a fool." He snorted, flicking a finger against the brim of his top hat.

I adjusted the angle of it, letting it rest back on his head. "No, you look like a debonair man about town taking his girl to a show."

"I look like a stuffed penguin put out on display." He shook his head, "And I feel like one, the coat is far too tight and I swear I worry about tearing the tails off it as I walk."

"You will do fine." I sighed, noting the white gloves he wore. Unlike mine, he could at least wear cotton while my arms were covered in soft white kid leather. They were beautiful and they clung to every curve of my arm, but it also meant my arms were bound to sweat a lot tonight. I smiled, lacing my fingers through his. "At least Rigel didn't get your vest all covered in hair."

"He didn't because I don't let him have the run of my rooms." He slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Honestly, why Charles had to bring you one of the hairiest breeds, let alone the largest, during summer, I will never know."

"He said he had a friend who bred them." I said, "Besides, even you are starting to warm up to him."

He grinned, "Rigel does seem to have a good nose for people. Although you really should have let him bite Zachary, would have served the little prick right."

"If he comes at me when you're not here, I will let him bite away." I settled further against his shoulder, "But it is nice to have something to hold at night, and he makes the sweetest little snuffles against me when he sleeps." I could feel Will shake his head at that. "Really Will, I haven't had a puppy in my entire life. Can't you just let me enjoy this?"

"I'm all for you enjoying him. But if you let him get away with things when he's a puppy then he's just going to think he can do it when he's bigger."

"I'm just letting him sleep on the bed."