Chapter 3
“Oh, Mr. Perry, Knox was so admired!” Mrs. Perry exclaimed “There was nothing like it!” She walked over to where Knox was sitting and kissed his cheek. Ginny flung herself down into an armchair
“Lord, I’m so tired. Gloria and I danced every dance,”
Neil and Knox looked at each other
“And who did you dance with Ginny? Miss. Noel, wasn’t it?” Neil smiled slyly at his sister as she sat up with red cheeks
“So what if it was?” She asked defensively. Mrs. Perry whacked Neil with her glove.
“Oh, never mind all that. Mr. Dalton favoured Knox above everyone else there. He danced with him for every dance he could, as a gentleman shou-”
“Enough Mrs. Perry, for God’s sake. Please let us hear no more of the dancing or the partners,” Mr. Perry interrupted, looking quite tired.
“Oh, but his friend, the woman Ginny was dancing with. Such a charming young lady. So elegant and soft-spoken. I wish you could have met her. Now, Ginny, you could do a lot worse than Miss. Noel, if you wanted. The lace on her gown was just splendid,”
Mr. Perry rolled his eyes.
“No lace, Mrs. Perry, I beg of you,” Mrs. Perry took no notice.
“But the man he brought with him!” Mrs. Perry scoffed, “Mr. Anderson, as he calls himself, shall be of no concern to us, even if he is the richest man in Derbyshire. He is the proudest, most horrid, disobliging man. He absolutely refused to dance with anyone, and even slighted poor Neil,”
Mr. Perry looked up
“Really? He slighted Neil?” He looked over at Neil for confirmation
“Do not worry sir, for I didn’t care for him either. It is of little matter,” Neil responded calmly. Mr. Perry nodded and turned back to his wife.
“Well, Neil, you shall not expect me to ask you to dance with him from now on, even if he should want you too,” Mrs. Perry said, vexed. Knox and Ginny stifled their giggles and Neil glared at them.
“That is no problem mama, for I believe I can safely promise to never dance with Mr. Anderson if you wish,”
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Chris walked over to the lounge that Todd was sitting on with her cup of tea.
“And so no one in all of Hertfordshire could tempt you Todd?” Todd rolled his eyes and stayed quiet
“Well I’ve never met more pleasant or pretty people in my life,” Charlie exclaimed, hitting the arm of his chair.
“I can certainly agree with you there,” Chris said, as they clinked their teacups together.
“Well I can’t say I saw much beauty there,” Todd mumbled, sipping his own tea. Charlie smirked.
“Oh really? I distinctly remember you saying that you were ‘Not in a mood to consider anyone beyond tolerable,’ after you called Mr. Neil Perry tolerable,”
Todd glared at him while Chris raised her eyebrow and smiled
“Wow, high praise coming from Mr. Anderson. Now tell me Todd, if you were more well rested, and in a better mood tomorrow, how much would your opinion change about him?” She asked.
Todd turned his glare onto Chris, then turned back to Charlie, and tried to change the subject.
“And what about you Charlie? You seemed quite distracted by Mr. Overstreet,”
Charlie instantly lit up
“Oh, he is an angel. You two must get to meet him properly. He is so handsome, and so unbelievably kind, it's honestly a wonder a man like him exists,” Charlie gushed.
Todd smiled, happy to see his friend so happy, even if he did not know if Mr. Overstreet felt the same. Chris squealed.
“Charlie, that is excellent news, he seemed like a sweet man. His aunt might seem to be a bit overbearing, but there can be no doubt that she was just excited, I’m sure. Oh, I must invite Mr. Overstreet over for dinner sometime next week. Now Todd,” Chris said, turning her attention back on him, “I heard Mr. Perry being described as a town beauty, despite what you think. What do you say to that?”
“I would sooner call his mother meek,” He grumbled back.
Chris gasped and swatted his arm
“Todd, that is quite cruel,” She exclaimed, though he could see her trying to hide a smile. Charlie however, did not, and was laughing quite loudly at this.
“His mother is quite overbearing, I’m sure. Though I’m sure I would be too, trying to marry off all of my children,” He said.
Chris sighed
“Todd, I say this lovingly and as your cousin, but I shall never understand why you go through the world determined to be displeased by everyone and everything,” She shook her head. Todd looked at her in surprise,
“Why, Chris, it is not that I try, exactly, just that the world is a disappointing place. And you’re one to speak. I shall never understand why you try so hard to approve of everyone and everything you meet,” He shot back.
Charlie then butted in.
“Well, try as you might Toddie, you shall not be able to make me think ill of Mr. Overstreet, or any of the Perrys’. And I am sure the same goes for Chris,”
Chris nodded at this.
“Indeed he shall not!,” Chris declared. “In fact, I shall challenge his disapproval and say that each and every one of them seem like sweet people, even if Mrs. Perry does seem quite loud, and I shall not be sorry to know any of them better,” And that was the end of that conversation.
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“He is just what a young man ought to be,” Knox said to Neil, as they walked through the garden
“He is lively, happy, and when I looked into his eyes I saw something that makes me think he shall never bore me,”
Neil smiled
“Handsome too, which a young man ought to be if he can help it. He also seems to like you very much, which shows a good judge of character,” He pondered on this thought for a bit, “Yes, I say you may like him. He is not as stupid as the people who have liked you before,”
“Neil!” Knox looked horrified at the memories, and Neil stifled a laugh
“I'm serious! Remember that girl, what was her name? The one who would follow you around and would steal our mail, then call on us and say it was mixed up with hers by mistake, just so she could see you? And what about the man a great deal older than us who would come and read aloud Shakespeare's sonnets to you? Thank God father said no when he asked for your hand,” Neil laughed hard at the memories, while Knox cringed and sighed.
“Neil, I beg you to stop, please,” He pleaded.
“Alright, alright,” He agreed “Mr. Dalton could be happier in his choice of friends though,”
“I still cannot believe Mr. Anderson said that about you,” Knox mused. “Miss Noel seemed charming though,”
“Yes, I suppose she was,” Neil said, still thinking about Mr. Anderson.
“And I’m sure that Mr. Andersons character could improve on closer acquaintance,” Knox went on. Neil snorted a laugh.
“I suppose he could, if he shall be kind enough to humour those who are only tolerable,” Neil spoke theatrically when saying this, scrunching his nose, and Knox giggled. Then Neil straightened his face and put on a deep voice
“ ‘He is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me’,”
Knox giggled more, saying
“It was very wrong of him to speak that way,”
“Oh yes, a capital offence,” Neil laughed. They walked towards the door of their house, when Neil spotted Meeks walking through the gate.
“Meeks,” He waved to his friend, and started walking towards him.
“Neil,” Meeks waved back, “My mother is to give a party next week at our lodge, on Friday, and you are all invited,”
“What, another one?” Neil asked. Meeks nodded, looking tired.
“She has been bored, I think, since father has gone to London,”
“Well, that is alright. Come in, you can tell Ginny yourself, she will be delighted at the news,” Neil flung an arm around Meeks’ shoulders and guided him to the door, where Knox was waiting.