Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #7 - Thursday, June 25th

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Miss Bennet was a generous, kind soul who would never place her students in any real danger. But she was going to amuse herself at their expense. Somehow, teaching etiquette did not preclude her from misbehaving.

Oh, this would be fun.

"Good morning," Miss Bennet said, clapping her hands in front of herself. "As I warned you last week, you do, in fact, have a final exam today. That is why I have asked all of you to assemble here, in the Danger Shop. Your exam will be a test of many of the principles we have learned over our short weeks together -- how to be social and civil even in circumstances which may be considered less than ideal.

"In this next room," she said, gesturing through the doorway, "is a gentleman by the name of the Reverend William Collins. He wishes to propose marriage to you, for varying reasons, which he will list for you at the slightest provocation. I assure you, you do not wish to accept his proposal. However.

"You cannot simply stride into the next room and call him rude names. The laws of inheritance state that Mr. Collins is next in line for your estate; should your father fall ill this very evening, and pass away, then by dawn, your house and all your possessions will belong to Mr. Collins. Making an enemy of him will have very real and very dire consequences.

"Walk that particular balance as best you can. Persuade him that you do not wish to marry. Spare his feelings. Dissuade him from wishing to offer for you. This is your final exam: refusing Mr. Collins's proposal while not causing him to throw your family out onto the street." Her smile was nearly evil. "Good luck. I do believe you shall need it."

(OCD COMING!)

Comments

Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Each of you will be entering the Proposal of Doom Room separately, one at a time. You will not be able to observe one another's finals. So if you should like to congregate and chatter nervously or discuss strategies, feel free to do so here.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

Karla...was a little unsure how to Procede. Protocol had handled dissuading persistent males, of course, but not any who had any form of power over her. And she didn't have other males around to send him packing if and when all else failed.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[future_sandworm]

Leto shot Karla a glance, smiling a little. "I'm sure you won't have any problem with this."

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"I don't know," she said with a grin. "I have a feeling that my usual methods all involve getting tossed into the street. Or in jail. Or arrested for witchcraft or something."

"Do you have any ideas?" she asked. Not that she was trolling for ideas or anything.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[future_sandworm]

"I believe I will have to meet the man before I can decide on a strategy." Leto grinned. "You have to take into account his intelligence and perceptive talents."

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"True. And I don't suppose this would really be a test if he just did the honorable thing. You know, gracefully accepting the refusal and continuing on without reprisals against the family." Karla sulked. Just a little.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Karla," Triela waved. "Got your voicemail."

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"Good," Karla said, grinning. "Do you have an idea for when?"

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Well, if you want to do it before the field trip, then sooner is better," Triela pointed out. "And I'm pretty free once class is over." And after she ran an errand or two.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"When does the field trip begin?" Karla asked. "Is this the one Lady Ghanima offered?"

Karla had been toying with the idea of going. Of course, Jaenelle's invitation pushed that thought right out of her mind.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that one. And it starts on Tuesday."

"Are you coming?"

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

Karla grinned. "Nope!" she said. "I'm going back to Kaeleer! For a party! For Jaenelle!"

You could almost hear the exclamation points.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Wow, Karla, that sounds terrible. I can tell you're dreading the trip."

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"Positively devestated," Karla informed her solemnly. "Totally trying to figure a way to get out of it."

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"And how come," Triela smirked ever so slightly, "I didn't get an invitation?"

Aside from no one from Karla's world knowing who she is.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

"You did!" Karla protested. "Mine was actually for you. But, knowing how truly awful this is going to be, I courageously took your place, so you could go on the trip and be free."

She gave Triela pupy-eyes. "You see how much I care for you?"

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Wow, Karla, that's so selfless of you."

Then Triela burst out laughing.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[glacial_queen]

Which had Karla laughing, too. "This is not the way Miss Bennet planned for us to be preparing," Karla said in between giggles.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"With her, how can you be sure?" Triela had a hard time reading Miss Bennet, but she suspected that the woman was laughing behind her eyes more often than not.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

Diana was trying to figure out if this was more or less difficult than her weekend adventures. She was pretty sure the answer was more. She also still had soot in her hair.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan had no idea how to make this work, but she was willing to try.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

Worf impatiently wait his turn. He was not looking forward to this.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose was considering if it was possible to politely punch someone in the face. Probably not, but it made for interesting thought process.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela was pretty sure that this was not at all one of the skills the Agency had sent her here to learn. She was going to have a talk with Hilshire.

It might involve a whole lot of sarcasm.

Re: Waiting Area - Before [ET-7]

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda paced. How in the hell was she going to not laugh in this guy's face? To hear Miss Bennet, the guy must be some piece of work.