The man's twofold explanation of his request was rather longwinded, which was to the liking of the head of the LaVelle's it gave him some time to think, and to gauge the fellow interested in his daughter. He'd known, of course, that with finally bringing her out, it was only a matter of time before she caught an eye, both on her own merits and on the simple fact of her status and station. She was, quite simply, the most eligible young woman in the city, and bound to have countless prospects in the weeks to come following the party.<br/><br/>But this Lawrence Chester was the first, and having the acuity to be ahead of the pack certainly was a point in his favor. LaVelle had no use for the slow of wit.<br/><br/>When he said that he did not care that she was a LaVelle, the family all began to shift, casting glances at each other that spoke volumes which he was as yet unable to decipher, and unexpectedly, it was not Miranda's father who spoke next, but her mother.<br/><br/>"You claim not to care that she is a LaVelle, yet not to have spoken to our daughter; it is cause to give a mother's heart worry as to what you wish of her," the Lady LaVelle put forth quietly, silkily; some in the upper eschelons well knew that she was as much a force to be reckoned with as her husband, who let fall a hand upon her shoulder, and lifted a glass, his silent deliberations complete. "All the better reason then, is it not my dear, to invite him to visit her in our company, and familiarize himself with what it is he thinks he desires?"<br/><br/>She looked up at her husband, and then to Lawrence, lifting her glass toward him with a smile - it was a movement that the rest of the family followed, all relaxing. "Quite right, husband; milord Chester, our home will be open to callers in two days time - it would please us to have you be among them."