The improved weather had definitely improved Giles's mood and he walked around the streets, glad to have the company of someone who knew the area, for it was his first time in London proper. The sights and smells were distinct from anywhere else he'd been , or maybe it was just the volume of them all so tightly pressed together, but it was a little overwhelming to the more rural gentleman.

"So my brother tells me that if one were to seek a gift for a woman of worth that one can't do any better than London in this part of the world at least."

"He's correct in his assessment," Geoffrey replies with a nod. "It is a fine assessment. I have to place an order for a gift while I am out here with you as well. I plan on getting a Lantern for Nichole, of green stained glass. My friend Reginald de Blanc is a stained glass artisan of great skill. I had him work on my chapel in Crahen a few years back. I'm not sure if you would want something like that, a custom piece of finery for your lady."

"Hmmm," Giles muses as they walk along unhurriedly. "I could imagine a candle lamp would be quite apropos to my courtship, but not conducive of the message I am looking to send with this particular gift. I would be pleased to take the opportunity to receive an introduction to this Reginald, for future gift procurement while we are there though, if that would be possible?"

"Of course. And I also wasn't suggesting that it need be a lamp. I am only having him do so, because Nichole liked watching the light shift colors as it passed through different pieces of glass. Reginald's work will likely not be quick though, and it can be far more complex. Though the larger and more complex, the more exorbitant the prices will be. His level of skill does not come cheap."

He thinks for a few moments.

"You could get something like a small letter or symbol or something of the sort put in a display piece. Or perhaps a vase or decorative bowl that could be used to hold something that has more emotional meaning to her?"

"Oh no, Geoffrey, I am merely amused that the nature of your intended gift would at another time so fit Mar...my recipient. She does do much industry by candlelight." He comments, entirely confident in how well he covered the near slip, though he believed Geoffrey perceptive enough to make the conclusions himself, there was something to be said for not saying much officially.

"So Nichole is the lucky lady then. I tried to speak with the Earl the other day about your intended, but the conversation never swayed in that direction, my apologies."

"That is quite alright. And yes, it will be Lady Nichole that will have me as her husband," he says with a nod and a smile. "Perhaps your lady might appreciate something that is as much a gesture as it is an object of interest? Perhaps a book, the subject of which might convey your feelings? Years ago I bought a book of scandalous drawings for a lady I was courting at the time. It went over as poorly as you might imagine..."

"And this my friend, is why your help is needed." Giles admitted openly. "My feelings are well established and I have already acknowledged my appreciation for her cerebral talents and gifts. I was thinking of something a little more traditional, acknowledging her femininity perhaps, but am wholly uncertain where the line between thoughtful and overbearing might lie."

He nods at that. "Well, if that's the case, you may want some piece of easily accessible jewelry, like a broach or bracelet, that would be a constant reminder."

"Wonderful, maybe something to complement the blue in her eyes. Although we must keep in mind my budget is nothing compared to....is it Earl Geoffrey of Northumberland now?" Giles teases slightly. "I'm not quite certain of the correct form of address."

"You overheard that then?" he asks with a nod. "Wonder how many have heard already then."

"I won't be changing my general terms of address quite yet. After all, I would still be of the House Tournemine and plenty of people still use that to address me. But it will be Earl of Northumberland rather than Baron of Crahen for my primary title. It is a fine engagement gift for the soon to be Countess Nichole, no?"

"My battlefield is not a conventional one milord. Where others see troop movements in the mud and can tell which flank will fall or need reinforcements, I can see a scowl in the courtroom or a hidden whisper and tell you who has fallen out of favour with whom." Giles kept an entirely conversational tone as they continued to peruse the stalls.

"I heard because I made it my business to hear, I saw the tension between Queen Eleanor and King William yesterday, then King Richard's announcement she seemed unhappy with it all, so I attempted to influence things how I could to ease some tensions. Imagine my surprise when I learned who might be the next most qualified candidate to take over stewardship of those lands. A good friend who had been advanced some d'Aubigny funds to make his claim, well it would have been a shame to let all that coin go to waste, no?"

He nods. "It is appreciated. I gave the King my own take on it as well. The king of Scots was using it as an opportunity to squirm out of a peace agreement by my estimation. If I had known he was planning to put his countries wealth behind the offer I would have put myself in debt with the templars to ease my cousins conscience," Geoffrey admits.

"It was better than the alternative, for the Realm. Although I imagine that our newest Earl may be on the line for some unpleasant repercussions, I hope you have some personnel to call on or you may find yourself in debt yet to secure your borders."

"I've got plans, and I can bring some fighting men from Crahen as well. Not exactly an army. But I will need to find friends to help discourage any boldness from northern neighbors," he says with a nod. I am hoping to generate some significant resources and cultivate friends from among those others might scoff at," he says.

"Attractive offers to bring in talented minds will go a long way to give people the will to defend a new home."

"There may be a dearth of good fighting men to find, King Richard will be likely taking as many as he can get with him on his Holy Crusade. I think recruiting from across the Channel is a smart plan. The d'Aubigny might be working to influence the naming of the new Lord Justiciar, having friends in high places could never hurt."

"Indeed. It's a concern I have. I've put some effort into securing the position of treasurer for the de Blondevilles. The coffers will need replenishing with the cost of the crusade. Hopefully, if I get the opportunity, I will be able to do so for my cousin," he says, suggesting who he hopes to see in that position.

He spots a vendor selling hand crafted necklaces with different less precious stones. Certainly well made but not prohibitively expensive.

"These?"

Giles glances over the pieces appreciatively as he looks for something suitable. "I imagine there will be a lot of people needing to rebuild or reorganize their households after all is accounted. The intricacies of high finance are lost to me, but I imagine having someone who could properly prioritize which provinces were deserving of certain dispensations would..."

"Oh yes, this one is marvelous." Giles interrupts his own thoughts as he spots a delicate brooch studded with deep blue gemstones.

Geoffrey looks over the piece that Giles is appreciating and smiles his approval. "A nice piece, de Braose. I would think she'll appreciate it. Particularly if she returns your feelings already. That's the more important aspect after all. If she can touch it and think fondly of you then that is certainly worth more than whatever it costs."

He picks up a small, simple bracelet with a few opaque yellow stones, a necklace with a fleur de lis pattern, a smaller and more understated brooch with a red inlay, and another brooch with what looks like a simple silver plated inlay.

He smirks at Giles. "Women. We always want to show appreciation."

That was far too much for one woman, and it's obvious from his advice earlier that he was not the type to deck out one woman with garishly mismatched jewelry. So why would he need so much?

"Yes, I quite like it, and can only hope she feels the same - on both fronts." He adds with a smile. "I can at least take comfort in the fact that she hasn't told me my intentions are unwelcome."

Giles casts his eyes over Geoffrey's pieces as he pays for his own, wrapped in some delicate tissue paper. "Some eclectic pieces, and an observant individual might have taken note that you said Nichole had a preference for green?" He asked, inquisitively.

"Yes. But, as I already have something planned for that particular preference, I would not wish to overdo it. The silver brooch will be for her, while I wait on the lamp. The yellow bracelet will be a gift for my sister in law, the fleur de lis necklace is for my niece, the Fair Maiden of Brittany, and the red brooch is for a friend that has been teaching me a bit about Greek and Jewish culture," he explained.

"Always appreciate the women in your life."

"Some of us are still poor second sons," Giles jests openly with a laugh. "It is a good thing I have only the one woman I am hoping to appreciate so earnestly."

"A female, Jewish friend? I imagine she is eager for any appreciation in this clime.: He observed, referring to the standard outlook on such oppressed categories of people.

"If I have my way, she'll receive more than just my personal appreciation. Even if we disagree on form, our shared function is still to serve god. I take the Sicut Judaeis papal bulls very seriously. But more, I appreciate what their culture can contribute to our own. It is something I hope to discuss with her, particularly regarding Northumberland."

"We are all children of the Lord." Giles agreed simply. "Hearing you speak from such an enlightened position reassures me that I made the right decision, you will be a good and noble Earl. I hope she has the wisdom to see what you are offering."

"Her people have been tested. I would not blame wariness. Besides, if all I get is introduction to others in the community then that would be just as well."

"And I believe that if given proper assurances and consideration, they would be as happy to see their communities grow as much as I would be to see their."

"Only when tested in the crucible of fire do we learn the metal of our character." Giles quoted with a nod. "Although too much heat woll destroy even the finest temper."

"They could use more friends and allies, and less testing. Seems to be pretty much their constant state for a very long time," he says with a shrug.

After all his selected items were wrapped up, and the merchant has been paid, Geoffrey thanks him and starts heading away.

"I'll introduce you to Reginald," he says as he starts off a different way.

"I think I briefly met this woman of which you speak, over dinner after the jousting with de Montfort. Between her feminine talents and her wealth I don't imagine friends will be hard to come by , but when King Richard leaves on Crusade, all of us left behind will need to pull close together. if there is anything I can help with, please let me know." Giles chatted as they walked towards Reginald's residence.

Every now and then, almost in a predictable pattern of paranoia, Giles pats down on the pocket holding his present, satisfying his flitting mind that it is still there. He had heard horrible things about urchins and pickpockets in London Town.

"I' think the greener lands of the Welsh borders feel more homely than this bustle." He says simply as they walk. "What do you think Geoffrey? Prefer you your homeland or the busy streets of the city?"

Geoffrey's gifts were tucked away behind the buttons of his shirt, within a pocket in side. He'd been to the city enough times to know that its easier to dissuade urchins if your valuables are only accessible through the front of your shirt. At that point you just have to worry about the light handed doxies that might try to use wiles to get at your valuables.

"I like both, each has it's charms. Crahen doesn't have an abundance of multicultural foods and entertainment, but it's also calmer and safer. Probably why I choose to make regular trips up to London, visiting for a bit most years," he admits.

"But some prefer the comfort of home and I don't blame them. One of the things that Nichole and I share is an interest in the world I think. I hope to show her a fair bit of it."

"A little travel south of ABergavenny is what passes for a city in the westerlands. Cardiff is barely a third the size of London though, but still if you and Nichole find yourselves out that way touring the lands of Prince John, it's not a bad spot to see. Got a decent dock to sail into, and the local artists are more tied to the traditional culture and definitely worth checking out."

"There is a lot of this world to see though."

He nods at that. "Rome. I want to see Rome. The Vatican. The seat of the Vicar of Christ," he says with a longing smile.

"But I think that since I will be likely living on this side of the channel in the future, I should get to know the places nearer to Northumberland," he says with a smirk.

They got closer to Reginalds and the house came into view. With it's large, glorious kaleidoscope of stained glass windows adorning the outside. He nods his head towards it.