[Madeline Grace Montgomery]

Location: London, outside the train station • Date: Late May, 1926
Time of Day: around noon • Weather: cloudy, temperate

Madeline was absolutely not used to traveling any sort of distance by herself. She wasn't used to carrying her suitcases for herself, or opening doors for herself. Or presenting tickets for herself. But here she was, heading out of the train station and toward somewhere, where hopefully someone was waiting for her with a car.

Her gloved hands picked up her suitcase, which at that exact moment decided to pop open. Her clothing and jewelry sachet fell onto the sidewalk. She was focused enough on the dresses and her underthings being exposed, that she barely noticed the little silky bag roll a little away from where she knelt down, trying to stuff everything back into her suitcase.

This was a disaster.

[Eddie Turner]

Eddie was just about getting ready for his shift. This was the next train he would be working on, and after a long haul journey yesterday throughout the Scottish countryside, it felt odd to be back in a city. But for how long? He wasn't sure. he would go wherever the train took him, and would enjoy every moment of it.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar face. The lady from a past train, the one he showed the engine to and participated in some light flirting with. She looked as spiffing as ever. Without hesitation, he stepped up.

"'Scuse me, Ma'am, I seem to-" it was then that her suitcase popped open, her face dropping as he looked down and saw all of her belongings falling out. His face flushed a little bit at the sight, but he still bent down to assist her, picking up the silk bag. "Goodness, Miss - I didn' meen t' startle ya!"

[Madeline Grace Montgomery]

Madeline hadn't even heard the greeting from the familiar face because of her suitcase. Instead, she hurriedly hid her unmentionables in the suitcase as passersby gawked, surely about to tell all of their lunch dates about the silly girl who dropped her underwear in the street. She wanted to cry, but held it together enough to shove them haphazardly into the case.

"Oh!" she breathed, looking up to see that familiar face. "Oh, no... it couldn't have been you, just this old suitcase. I... I should have known it wouldn't hold. I've packed too many things..." she said, upset with how her dresses were going to be wrinkled now, but also strangely comforted by Eddie's presence.

[Eddie Turner]

Eddie's face reddened as he glanced down, seeing that the piece of clothing he was currently clutching was most definitely a part of her underthings. He cleared his throat, pressing them into the bag and quickly letting go before bringing his hand up to pull at his collar awkwardly. Why was it awkward? Well, it wasn't everyday that he was copping a feel of a pretty lady's underwear. Even if it was on the pavement, with people watching, in the dirt. Ahem.

"I don't think you've packed enough; I bet with a few tweaks here on the lock, we can get you another day's shopping. A lady can never have too many silk gloves, right? One for every day of the week, at least." He looked up at her, smiling widely. "Sorry Ma'am, I'm not used to seeing the same pretty lady twice in a row. Caught me a little off guard too."

[Madeline Grace Montgomery]

Madeline blushed redder than Eddie when she realized what he was holding as he dropped it into her suitcase. She supposed he'd see more of her underthings than any other man ever had. But nonetheless, he had helped her during a time that could have been absolutely disastrous- more so that it already was. He actually made her smile a tiny bit as he suggested that she could even fit another day's shopping in the suitcase.

She pushed the lid of the case down and looked up at him, seeing his smile. Immediately her lips spread into her own ladylike grin, especially when he called her pretty. "Eddie, right?" she questioned. "I remember you. You drive the train?" she added, punctuating lightly between her sentences with a gloved finger tapping on her chin.

[Eddie Turner]

Eddie grinned brightly.

"Ah, well, I'm flattered ma'am. I'm not quite talented enough to drive the train, but I sometimes get to blow the horn." He laughed a little, moving to help close her case and starting to twiddle with the lock. "But yes, Ms, Eddie. Eddie Turner at your service, as always."

He glanced up at her, giving her a cheeky smile. "And you're Miss Montgomery, aren't you? I read a snippet in the papers about your family. Classy lot."

[Madeline Grace Montgomery]

Madeline smiled; Eddie's smile was very contagious, regardless of whether or not he drove the train. She for some reason felt safer and less embarrassed knowing someone else in the vicinity, especially one so brightly happy. "Yes, Madeline. If you please," she requested. Eddie was such a nice guy that she couldn't let him call Miss Montgomery like he was her chauffeur or her butler or someone else who hadto treat her with respect. She knew that the papers reported on her family often, so he had to know that she was turning into an old maid at this point. Most would have scoffed at a twenty-seven year old lady who had not married or had children, but Eddie treated her as though she were anyone else.

"It's good to see you, Eddie Turner," she remarked, repeating his last name maybe slightly playfully. After all, what else could she do but try and bring lightness to the situation? It was either this or sobbing on the cobblestones for dropping open her suitcase in front of everyone in the world.