For high conflict I'd say go with what erika suggested.
Come on. You drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending? Please.
Connor ,'Not Fade Away'
The Great Write Way
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
askye - Jun 22, 2003 2:54:20 pm PDT #1451 of 10001
Thrive to spite them
Anne W. - Jun 22, 2003 3:31:05 pm PDT #1452 of 10001
The lost sheep grow teeth, forsake their lambs, and lie with the lions.
Hmm. How about a variation of #5? As far as Lucy knows, she's not discovered, but one of the cousins catches her but doesn't interrupt, instead going to the others and telling them what she's seen and heard. That way, Lucy will be steeling herself for how to announce the engagement, only to be bushwhacked by the post-ball confrontation.
Elena - Jun 22, 2003 3:54:38 pm PDT #1453 of 10001
Thanks for all the fish.
I agree with Anne.
Beverly - Jun 22, 2003 5:29:58 pm PDT #1454 of 10001
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
Anne's suggestion does sound as though it has potential.
Betsy HP - Jun 22, 2003 6:36:49 pm PDT #1455 of 10001
If I only had a brain...
Anne is wise.
Susan W. - Jun 22, 2003 6:49:44 pm PDT #1456 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
I have to say that I hate characters being humiliated for any reason. I'd suggest that no one find them
Well, the humiliation would largely be in Lucy's mind--in the eyes of all of the potential witnesses except Portia, her actions really aren't a problem as long as she and James intend to get married.
As far as Lucy knows, she's not discovered, but one of the cousins catches her but doesn't interrupt, instead going to the others and telling them what she's seen and heard.
I'd have to rework some of the logistics--maybe lose the heavy, creaky door, for example--but this has potential. The interpersonal dynamics among the cousins are such that any one of them who saw her would probably confront her first rather than telling the others, but I do like the idea. Especially if it's Julius.
Elena - Jun 22, 2003 7:17:53 pm PDT #1457 of 10001
Thanks for all the fish.
Julius, though, might confront him with it, rather than her.
Susan W. - Jun 22, 2003 7:24:49 pm PDT #1458 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Hmm. I could probably work the logistics such that he wouldn't have the chance to confront James before the end of the evening, but could easily confront Lucy, because as family members they're staying at the same place.
Ms. Havisham - Jun 22, 2003 7:32:14 pm PDT #1459 of 10001
And we will call it... "This Land."
If Lucy suffers a major embarassment, even if it's all in her head, it'll color her developing relationship with James - don't know what you've got planned, but is that okay? It's also a question of how major an event you want this to be. Will it throw things off kilter?
Just some thoughts. I think you've gotten some pretty good advice already.
Susan W. - Jun 22, 2003 7:34:41 pm PDT #1460 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Well, they need some roadblocks--they're really quite well-matched, if I do say so myself, and if they realize it too soon, it'll throw the pacing of the story off, since I'm bucking recent romance tradition by not throwing some random enemy into the last forty pages to kidnap Lucy so he can murder James or something lame like that.