Maxim had been home for a mere week and was already bored of his surroundings. There wasn't nearly enough to read that involved subjects he was interested in, or so he grew bored rather quickly with the local library. His sister was enough to drive him mad, though we shan't name which but we all know who she is, reader. He rarely ever left the Ennington abode since his return from school and decided that it was time to do so. So he decided to go to market and look for some trinket or another to give to his sisters, or perhaps something else altogether.

He stopped at one stall in particular that sold street food. Cornish Pasties? Delicious. He paid the woman and then devoured one as he walked through the crowd. He ignored the giggles off to one side when a pair of younger girls made such noise, honestly bored with them too. He didn't really care to be handsome, he just wanted to be around people with much more on their mind than the latest fashion, who is the most eligible bachelor and the latest push in the marriage mart to see whom was marrying whom and whom would be confirmed bachelors or spinsters. All of this thought process happened in the two moments of chewing upon flaky pastry.

Max finished the second one in no time at all, then he tucked away the two into the paper sack they'd been put in, and went on his merry way to the trinkets and baubles he saw off in the distance. Tucking the bag away into the messenger bag he carried, he then put his hands behind his back and looked... you guessed it... boredly at baubles.

It was a beautiful day, so it seemed like a wonderful time to get used to the area. Nettie wanted to ask for Malachi to walk with her but he was a busy man and she was more than capable enough to handle herself.

The place was very lively and exciting as she had wandered for a while just to memorize her way around. The young woman took a break from getting acquainted with the town to look at things for sale. She saw some lovely colored thread and fabrics that seemed like a reasonable price. She backed up to hold up a piece to eye the pattern when she bumped into someone.

"Ah, sorry!" She said quickly, looking back to see it was a man about her age. Ah, most likely not a pick pocket, that was good. Not that she kept her money in such an easy to take spot.

He felt the woman bump into him before he saw her, of course, and instinctively reached up to steady the young woman before he actually got an eye full of blonde and blue eyes. Captivating... devastatingly blue eyes that had his attention right away. For a moment he stared at the beauty, though that didn't really catch his attention so much as those eyes did. "It's alright," he said in his baritone, letting his hand drop when he realized it was still held up.

"No worries at all."

He took a look at the baubles again and then back at her. When he pictured a particular necklace around the column of her throat, and nothing mor-- No, he thought, he needed to step back before he fantasized about a complete stranger. It bothered him that he had such a knee-jerk reaction to her.

Nettie nodded her head, "I will be much more careful. They just have some beautiful things here." She knew she sometimes talked a bit much, but then it was a good way to meet people right? The man she ran into was devilishly handsome, and men like that could surround themselves with broken hearts if they chose.

She turned back to look at the items she was planning to buy and picked up a few more varieties. She looked back towards him and flashed a warm smile. "Ah, are you from around here? I'm new and trying to find my way around." She became slightly startled in realization. "Sorry, how rude of me. I bump into you and feel like I could ask you for help without even introducing myself. I am Nettie Brennan." She offered a hand to shake.

He smiled for once. Lord, but she was a beauty and she was talking to him. He was not used to interacting much with the ladies beyond what was polite chit chat. Suddenly, his schedule seemed to open up and he decided that he would take a chance and perhaps get acquainted with Miss. Brennan. "I am Maxim Ennington," he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Brennan." She had his full attention, especially the depth of her blue eyes.

"I was just looking at buying my mother or sisters some trinkets. Perhaps you can give me some advice," he offered as a means of an opening line. He sounded rather sharp, and he didn't have that uppity vibe going on that his peers might have. He might know he is handsome but he didn't care, his mind was usually enough to push women away. He was constantly battling mathematics in his head, not thinking up good prose to impress a young miss with.

Nettie looked up at him and nodded. "Very nice to meet you, Mister Ennington. I am lucky then, perhaps if I help you, you will not mind assisting me a little." She beamed brightly at her fortune and looked back at the variety of items and knickknacks around. " Maybe you know the sort of things they enjoy? Or the types of items they have gotten in the past? Unfortunately, I would love to give my uncle something sharp like nice cuff links. But they wouldn't be useful since he doesn't wear flashy things with his uniform." Other than his rings, but she didn't count those.

She seemed in thought before looking over at him. He was handsome and seemed very at ease. He was not trying to impress her, not that she wished for him to. "I think you can rarely go wrong with a brooch. Oh, or maybe you could get your mother a Silhouette. I know they aren't very popular, but I find them charming." She admitted and smiled. "And very affordable."

He had to think on that for a time. He lapsed into silence as he looked between trinkets. It wasn't the cost that bothered him, he could afford pretty much the whole lot of the trinkets he saw, as far as he knew. He said, "I am not even sure what they like. I just returned home from school, I am afraid I've missed out on some years with my family." He rubbed at his chin. "I suppose this bird reminds me of one of my younger sisters." He didn't say which, but he had a feeling someone would like it.

But then a delicately painted egg caught his attention. "Oh, that is lovely... Perhaps my mother would like that." He looked at the vendor and was given a price amount, and he handed over the money for that and the bird.

Nettie nodded as she continued her own shopping but glanced at his choices. "Well then they should forgive you for anything not to their tastes. I think your choices are lovely. Do you like birds, sir?" She asked as she noticed a theme in the choices.

"I do. I find them charming," he admitted. "Pretty too," he added in a lower tone, though he wasn't sure if he was talking about the birds or Nettie, for she was both charming and lovely. He peered at her with his warm eyes and found himself smiling at her without really thinking about it. He knew then that he was a sucker for the woman in his vicinity, not that he was interested in courting before... but he didn't mind the thought at that moment.

Nettie smiled brightly. "I like them too." She looked at the ones he picked out again and then up at him. "I do like these, and I'm sure they will. Is that everything, or did you need more? I am willing to help. I was just wanting to look around and learn about the town. I was shown once, briefly. I want to wander on my own, you know? But I do not wish to keep you occupied if you have places to be."