Invitations (Christine) - Lowrey Manor

As the invitation stated, he was invited. Invited, I say! So he pulled up, looking mildly curious and knocked on the door. (Gate? Not sure which)

(He'd be let through to the door)

The door was answered by a man that was the epitome of Butler.

"Mr. McKay, I presume?"

He even took off his hat to bow a little to the butler. "That's me, sir." Seriously polite. Because it was a fancy invitation.

There was a ghost of a smile at the edge of his mouth.

"The Lady is out back at the stables. She said to send you back there if you showed up. If you go around the house to the right, you can't miss them."

He looked a little skeptical. "Ya sure 'bout that? I think I might get lost in this place..." But he didn't sound upset.

The ghost of the smile didn't disappear.

"I'm sure. She's got a lot of horses, the stables are rather large. The staff there can tell you where she's at."

He nodded as he started off in the direction that had been indicating, putting his hat back on top of his head with one hand. "Well, then I thank ya." He paused before he walked away, though. "Please tell me ya name ain't Alfred. Please."

Now the man actually smiled.

"Richard."

He gave the man a salute. "Nice ta meet ya, Richard. I'm Jim." Because Mr. McKay was his dad. And he sure as hell wasn't his dad.

The man gave a short bow, then closed the door to go back to his business.

Which meant that he went around to the side of the house, looking for these giant stables. Which really meant "the big building that isn't the main house and looks bigger than me."

They really weren't hard to find. A little behind the house, on that side, was a stable that looked like it could hold a good thirty horses. And for all that it was evening, it was bustling with activity.

He made his way to the stables, singing a song under his breath.

As he walked up, Christine appeared from around the building, dressed in jeans and a button up short sleeved blouse, leading a beautiful horse. She smiled when she saw him walking up.

"Mr. McKay! Thank you for coming!"

Once again, the hat was removed and held to his chest. He gave her a deep bow. "Good evenin', Miss Lowrey. How could I not come, with such a nice invite?" But he was giving the horse an appraising eye.

She laughed and walked towards him.

"And how could I not invite the one person in this Domain who's likely to enjoy my horses as much as I do?"

He laughed at that one. "I dunno if I'd say that. The Sheriff's mighty fond of 'em." He extended a hand toward her to shake. "But it's appreciated. I ain't got a chance ta meet ya formally yet."

She took his hand firmly in hers, not dropping the reins of her horse.

"That would be another reason for inviting you out here, yes."

He was so not refined. Totally not. He smiled and slipped his hat back on his head. But he didn't move closer to the animal or to the Ventrue. "Well, then. What can I help ya with? Besides horseflesh?"

She laughed.

"Wanted to get to know you. And offer to let you ride a horse that has been bred to put up with our kind."

He laughed, a little sheepishly. "I'm pretty simple." He stepped forward and raised a hand. "May I?" he asked, indicating the horse. Obviously going to offer the animal a smell of him before giving him a pet.

She nodded gracefully. "Of course."

He offered the animal a sniff of his hand before he ran his hand over the length of the horse's nose. He was whispering, almost crooning to the animal. "Beauty of a horse, this one is."

She smiled indulgently.

"I have more. All such beautiful animals."

He turned to look at her, giving her a playful smirk. "Judgin' by tha look of this place, I don't doubt it, Miss Lowrey."