That's right, an Appendix Story Entry, just like Lord of the Rings :p

Being Rather Cooperative

“Excuse me, I hate to bother, but I couldn’t help but notice you looked rather exhausted.”

I looked up from my position in a slightly over-stuffed chair, and found my gaze met by a pair of sweet, gently blue eyes that sat in a smooth, round face pale face, one framed by curled blonde locks, looking down at me over what I could only describe as a truly bountiful chest.

“I beg your pardon?” This woman, who carried a hint of a proper British affectation in her tone, was dressed in a high necked gown of white and pale pink rose, and held in a glass of wine that was much closer to empty than to full.

By the irrepressible shape of her bust and the narrowness of her waist I also assumed that a corset was at work diligently flattering her.

“I was only remarking that your eyes seem to posses a rather drooping quality, a heaviness that seems to be invading your posture, and you mind. You see destined to tilt your chain down, slump forward in your sight and find yourself no longer at this affair, but in your own dreams, peacefully free of all else, and it seems truly inevitable now more than ever sir. It seems I’ve cursed it to be true by speaking it aloud.”

She was a touch older than eye, or perhaps slightly more, it was hard to say. Her skin was smooth, near alabaster white, and her hair was on the march somewhere between pale honey and warm platinum, giving her an angelic sort of visage, capped off by red smiling lips that were curved in knowing sympathy.

“I’ve noticed that you’re here alone, and that what socializing you’ve done has come to an end, and now by the way you seem so on the verge of yawning, resting your mind that is clearly tired from the commotion of the room and the burdens of being polite, you’ve found this place to relax and likely fall away into a pleasant and deep slumber. You seem even on the verge now.”

She was right in that I had taken to people watching over participation in the loathsome banter of my well heeled peers and their shrewish and banal wives but I was hardly tired despite stifling a yawn in this woman’s presence.

“You’ll excuse me, but I think I ought to stand to introduce myself,” I made to rise to my feet but she took a step towards me in my chair while placing one hand on the considerable bounty of her chest.

“Nonsense, there’s no need to stand on formalities Mr. Collins. There’s no need to stand at all when ever now your own legs are heavy with the same deep exhaustion you can feel at work behind your eyes. No, you needn’t apologize for yawning either, these parties or gatherings or whatever peculiar proper titles that may be assigned, are quite the cause for feeling so mentally and physically spent, especially suddenly, especially from nowhere, just as those yawns that seem so ever present now.”

She hadn’t told me her name, and though I considered standing despite her closeness and her presence, I was in the moment, distracted by my inability to cease from yawning once more, then again. Perhaps this woman was onto something, as I was feeling rather worn down all of a sudden.

“My name is Matilda Mears, cousin of the hostess, though not favorably so if you don’t mind such candor. But given your disinterest I expect you respect when one is rather too frank. And that said, frankly I think it would be side for you to follow me to a side room where you can come to a proper rest. Your eyelids seem to be growing heavier and heavier by the moment.”

She stopped, and studied me for a moment as I found myself blinking, and strangely enough, feeling a profound sense of weariness that had come over me.

“Yes, it does seem as though your eyelids are growing much heavier and heavier by the moment. It seems as though you’re struggling even now to keep them open. You look to me as though you may be on the verge of sinking down into a very deep and restful sleep. Watching you blink now, and yawn now, it seems as though your while body has become much more relaxed than you’ve considered hasn’t it?”

Matilda’s voice was very delicate and very… one could say maternal, but only in that it spoke with a caring and nurturing authority that had, in my increasingly drowsy state became hard to disagree with.

She watched me with those soft, radiant blue eyes, eyes I’d become accustomed to staring into since her arrival, and her hand still remained rested just below her neck and squarely on the veritable balcony of her breasts. I’ll not deny there was a beckoning nature to her figure, or the presentation of her form that saw me longing to perhaps rest my head on that considerable bosom. 

More practically speaking though, I had a mind to say something to her, but as I sat there the words came too slow, and my otherwise nimble mind was clumsy with a sense of sleepy morass. Her smile was as soft as her eyes, and I found myself blinking my way into darkness and a brief moment of reverie.

“I do apologize,” my eyes opened and I felt a surge of energy as I woke from a few mere seconds of sleep, “you appear to be right. I fear I’m certain to be asleep, and terrible company for one as caring and charming as yourself.”

With this, I did manage to make my way to my feet, and then took her hand gloved hand and kissed it, “Benjamin Collins at your service.”

While I had no lover for the quality of the upper crust that I had found myself in, new money though I may be, I did believe in standing by the conventions of politeness and an adherence to good manners.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, though you needn’t push yourself, you are rather drowsy, nearly clumsy with sleep,” her eyes were fixed on mine and the sweetness of her voice was like chilled wine on a summer’s day, “and it would certainly be best, wouldn’t you agree, to follow me somewhere more quiet and appropriate for a moment’s peace.”

 She covered my hand with both of her gloved hands and started to lead me out into a hallway and then down towards what I assumed was the study.

“It can be so hard, on occasion to convince a man of your stature to simply do what he ought to. The question of will, especially in the case of a woman instructing him, even when it’s his own idea or need, such as your need to simply rest, can be a trying one. Trying constantly, so hard to be willful and right can be as exhausting as anything else, and I hope you feel a sense of relief here being rather cooperative.”