The air had grown uncomfortable as Eilidh and Skyla sat there with empty cups of tea on their laps, eyes averting in every which ways except toward the man sitting across from them, both unwilling to do the unthinkable and shirk the societal norm of simply grinning and bearing it for the sake of their friend. To his credit, Mr. McPhee couldn't exactly help it, having made his fortune in some mine or quary somewhere - not even Ariella knew precisely - where social acumen was second to survivability. Now engrossed in the middle-to-high society of Dumbarton, Mr. McPhee now appeared rather odd, if not a bit out of place in the world; his starched collar choking at him, his manners always having to be coaxed out of him by his wife whom, at present, had been vacant, leaving the two guests with an air of painfully awkward silence to fill with the clanking of porcelain dishware.

"Kill me," Eilidh whispered, taking yet another sip of her empty British-imported tea.

Skyla bowed her head, not bothering to heed her friend's ill behavior. She simply glanced toward the Mister Mc. Phee, nodding, though the action seemed to distress him. He began to sweat, eyes spinning from side to side as though he were calculating the room, trying to ascertain what it was he hadn't done, as if Skyla were signaling him or something.

"He's gonna blow," another sip.

Breathing heavily, Skyla took another sip of her empty mug, "Hush. You know he can't help his anxieties."

"I know; I just can't believe Ari is-"

Finally, Ariella strolled into the room at a quickened pace, huffing a heavy breath, "My apologies, my dear. My checking of the scones turned into readying the children for their evening chores, which turned into-" She swatted at the air toward her two friends, a laugh interrupting herself. "But listen to me go on. Skyla! Eilidh! It's so wonderful to see you two!"

Sitting down their ceramic dishware, the two guests rose to their feet, each accepting a hearty hug from their most senior friend, whose arms reached around Eilidh and gave a massive squeeze, the likes of which she could receive from none other, "Good-ness, Eilidh! Look at you!"

"The same as always," she gave a sardonic smile, opening her arms in presentation, "Unless the lack of sleep has left bags under my eyes."

Skyla leaned forward to ascertain whether or not she had missed such a blemish.

"Oh, heavens no! You just- I don't know," Ariella sighed fondly, "I just don't get to see you two all that often these days. What with the children and all. You'd be surprised how much effort comes with running an estate, even a small one."

Skyla looked around, "Oh, I can imagine." She turned to her husband. "What's a place like this run you?"

The man, Fergus, cleared his throat, almost nervous in how he turned his head, "That's, uh- a matter which is not polite to discuss openly."

"Ah, you're no fun," Eilidh shrugged, grinning toward Ariella, "I'll name a price and you give me a thumbs up or down until I'm in the ballpark."

The woman shot back a wry smirk before shaking her head, "My dear, you know there's no sport in this." Reaching over to gently touch her husband's shoulder, Arielle begged his leave. "You can return to your office, my love. Leave these girls to me."

Sighing as though the weight of the entire world had left his lungs, Fergus dropped his head, nodding, "You have my thanks. If you have need anything-"

"I will send for you, yes. We'll have Lady Montgomery joining us, as well, for dinner, but I'll be sure to have you join us before dinner is complete."

Ears perked up, Skyla questioned, "She did accept your invite?"

"She did! It was rather last minute. Like, within the last few minutes. That's what kept me, actually. My madam servant stopped me with a letter sent to us from her. Apparently, she's been held up by a-" She winced, thinking on her feet before succumbing to the loss of memory, slipping from her pocket the note in question. "-a mountain of books in need of transport."

Eilidh groaned, "I didn't mean for her to bring all of them."

"This was for you?" Ariella spoke in a surprised manner, "Whatever had you asked of her?"

"Would you rather have me spill it now, or over dinner?"

Crossing her arms, Ariella mused, "Well, if Bella is already in the know, I suppose I might as well know, now."

Before Eilidh could more tactfully explain her current predicament, Skyla's excited voice - truly rare, that one - broke open, "She's harboring an injured seal!"

"Sky!!"

Surprised, or rather gobsmacked, Ariella spoke in reply, "A seal?! As in the animal?"

"It was injured, probably in a hunting attempt. I'm just caring for it; I asked Bella to do some research for me, as she knows all the libraries around here, but I hadn't a clue she took that to mean 'bring me the books themselves' - I was hoping she would simply take notes."

Arielle frowned, "Well, does this creature have rabies? or, for heaven's sake, the plague? or any other ailment?"

"I mean-" a genteel shrug, "So, I did consider rabies, but- I'm sure it's fine."

"And if you're here, I'm assuming it's in your home, alone, right this moment. What if it should awake and make a mess of the entire place? If it awakens in an unfamiliar place, indeed in a panic, who knows what all it might do, particularly upon your return," Ariella's voice rose, less in care and more in critique now, "For the sake of all the gods, you've been here all day, now! and I'm keeping you further! Why aren't you home with this creature?!"

Skyla, despite her earlier excitement, had returned to her much more typical placid demeanor, leaning away from Eilidh as though to distance herself from the matter, "Someone's in trouble..."

"Okay, all fair points, but I did what I could to store away everything of importance. I don't think it will get into anything, nor should it find itself in anything dangerous.'

"And if that poor thing wakes up in a panic and succumbs to a heart attack?! What then?!"

Eilidh's lips twisted into a frown, "Okay, that one was a slight oversight."

Dropping her head, Ariella groaned, leaving Eilidh to quickly rebuild her defense, "Look, this is why I'm in town in the first place! I'm doing my research, making sure I'm going to be the best animal caretaker that I can be while it requires such a thing! As soon as its wound is healed, boom, gone. Back into the Loch with it."

Skyla watched her cohort as she attempted her further explanation, turning back toward Ariella, "I did always tell you that your years of hanging out with us would prove to your benefit when raising children."

Smirking beneath her fallen head, Ariella sighed, lifting her gaze to reveal her smile, "Yeah, well- At least I can tell my children to go to bed when need be. You two, I'm forced to leave to the whims of fate, oftentimes." Her eyes turned toward Eilidh. "If you're truly taking such care so as to do this much research- I suppose I have no reason not to assume your intentions genuine."

She made a gesture in front of her chest, "Cross my heart."

"You'll forgive my skepticism when, not too many years ago, you were the very same woman who took up painting only to forgo properly examining your supply and only finding out, later, that the materials were sourced through England."

Eilidh crossed her arms, averting her eyes nervously, "I've improved..."

"I know," sighed Ariella, shaking her head before acknowledging, "Fine. I shan't do that mothering thing you two often claim of me. This will be the last you hear of my trepidation, though, I will advise caution. I can already tell that Skyla wants to follow you home and make friends with the thing."

The now-woebegone friend dipped her head in weak resignation.

"Now, that I'm demonstrating growth and maturity should be a distressing sign to everybody involved," decried the matriarch with a humor behind her troubled voice, "Surely I'm not the only one wishing to move on to other, less troublesome matters?" She gestured for the two to follow her to the couch where they had been sitting across from Fergus, taking her husband's place while a nearby butler dutifully approached to remove the cup ware, readying a fresh supply of tea. "Oh, Eilidh with have the Dutch import."

The butler nodded, though the three women all noted the huffing breath taken by the man as he stood, retreating to, first, procure the tea that had certainly been stowed away somewhere obscure, and then brew it accordingly, leaving with only two mugs filled.

"My apologies, I should have recalled."

Eilidh shook her head, "Nonsense. Were it anything worth remembering, I might take offense. I'm simply too obstinate for my own good."

"And we've enough surprise personality shifts for one day," Skyla dryly noted, raising her tea for a sip.

The matriarch shook her head, "Oh, please, dear. It's absolutely worth remembering. If I can recall my youngest will refuse to eat green foods, surely I can recall my friends' dietary oddities. You're worth that much." Ariella smiled toward Skyla. "Skyla McArthur only eats green things, last I recall."

The most stoic of them allowed a gentle frown as she loosened her shoulders, "At one time, yes, I was vegan. but I now eat cheeses."

"Huh," Ariella muttered to herself, seeming legitimately troubled, "I truly have allowed myself to lose myself."

Eilidh snapped, "Alright, now who's speaking nonsense! We, both, had to spend years-" She whipped her head toward Skyla for confirmation, the woman nodding in agreement. "-years! while you succumbed to the worst of the men of this world who thought it a fantasy to tumble with such a strong woman, only to find you- what was it that stupid bampot- Sonny?"

"Sonny," nodded Skyla.

"Sonny! Cheeky little fucker calling you too much. The nerve!" she dove backward into her seat, crossing her arms as she continued to spit venom, "And he was probably the least of the parade of imbeciles, we'd call 'em!"

Skyla's eyes wandered off, raising her mug to conceal her blush at the admission.

"If anybody has a right to enjoy this stability and a man who- granted, might be a bit slow on the uptake, but at least his heart's in the right place - you'd better not fret over forgetting something so trivial!"

Ariella smiled, rather taken aback, though she couldn't help but fire back in retort, "So, a parade of imbeciles?"

"Not the point!"

"I know," she offered a humored laugh, nodding in agreement, "Your words are very kind, Eilidh. I appreciate the sentiment, though I admit, it's not something I can simply switch off, as much as you can't switch off your need for ideals to fight for. So long as I draw breath, I will always provide as best I can for those closest to me, be it non-green food, Dutch-specific tea, cheese. This mare isn't learning any new tricks at this point in her life."

Eilidh shrugged, "I mean, I'm not telling you to stop, but-"

"It is something I would quite like to focus more on," she smiled, "Particularly as my children are more grown now. Spending more time with you two; Bella, as well- I know I haven't had much of a chance, at all, to make her acquaintance."