returned the glance.
O n the night of the party, Percival was ecstatic.
He had received a letter that morning from Lord Barham’s solicitor that he might go ahead with his full requested plans to renovate and expand the village at double the requested budget. With such funding, new houses could be built, existing ones expanded, and the entire village could be improved with respect to the health and comfort of its residents. Percival’s mind was abuzz with all the things he might implement, and he spent most of the day planning and prioritising those implementations, until it became necessary to dress for the party.
He had planned to arrive early at the party, on account that he was, in a way, one of the hosts, and he thought he might be able offer some assistance to Miss Bolton in the preparation and oversight of everything that was necessary for the party, but he found that he had been so distracted by his excitement and plans that he arrived only shortly before the party was scheduled to begin.
Everything was in a flurry when he arrived at the Grange. Very few of the guests had arrived yet, excepting those who intended to stay the night. After consulting with the butler in the front hall to confirm that everything was proceeding satisfactorily, Percival encountered Mr. Everett in the parlour.
He looked enchanting in evening wear, as handsome and elegant as a prince in a picture book. Percival had little concept of any of the latest fashions in London, and thus had no idea of how closely Mr. Everett clove to such fashions, but it was his opinion that Mr. Everett was a swell of the first stare, particularly when so elegantly dressed.
“Mr. Everett!” Percival exclaimed, as he made his way to Mr. Everett’s side. “How very well you look, and how pleased I am to see you. I must tell you—I must thank you—you see, I have had word from Lord Barham’s solicitor—thanks, no doubt, to your good word of encouragement—that not only has Lord Barham approved the renovation and expansion planned for the village, he has doubled the available capital for the venture.”
Mr. Everett smiled upon him at the news, with the same warmth and fondness he had shown from the start. Percival very much hoped that the week of cold civility that he had endured was now at an end and they might be friends again. “I am very glad to hear that. How excellent that will be for Linston! And a source of great pleasure for you, as I can see.”
“Oh, indeed,” Percival confirmed, and began to happily regale Mr. Everett with his plans and ideas. “I am planning to set out at once for London. There are things to be arranged, you see, I shall need to contract a proper architect, and a stonemason— do you think the village ought to be done in stone? There is a local quarry, but perhaps it would be cheaper in a traditional wattle and daub…”
This discussion only lasted until they were distracted by the arrival of more guests in the front hall, which reminded Percival that he had intended to serve as an additional host. They went at once to greet the guests, after which the under-butler showed the guests off to their rooms just as more guests spilled in through the door.
In the next pause between guests, Mr. Everett commented that he wished to go inquire if Miss Bolton needed any assistance with her portion of the preparations and the guests that she was beginning to entertain in the ballroom. His hand touched Percival’s shoulder briefly and lightly as he took his leave.
The warmth of his touch lingered in Percival’s memory, and he worried that perhaps Mr. Everett had taken his leave due to his new habit of avoiding Percival. It was not a particularly pleasant thought, and Percival strove to put it from his mind.
Mr. Bolton passed through not long after, taking over Percival’s duties at greeting guests and sending him to relieve Miss Bolton from what seemed to Mr Bolton as excessive worry over the flower-arranging.
A flurry of
O n the night of the party, Percival was ecstatic.
He had received a letter that morning from Lord Barham’s solicitor that he might go ahead with his full requested plans to renovate and expand the village at double the requested budget. With such funding, new houses could be built, existing ones expanded, and the entire village could be improved with respect to the health and comfort of its residents. Percival’s mind was abuzz with all the things he might implement, and he spent most of the day planning and prioritising those implementations, until it became necessary to dress for the party.
He had planned to arrive early at the party, on account that he was, in a way, one of the hosts, and he thought he might be able offer some assistance to Miss Bolton in the preparation and oversight of everything that was necessary for the party, but he found that he had been so distracted by his excitement and plans that he arrived only shortly before the party was scheduled to begin.
Everything was in a flurry when he arrived at the Grange. Very few of the guests had arrived yet, excepting those who intended to stay the night. After consulting with the butler in the front hall to confirm that everything was proceeding satisfactorily, Percival encountered Mr. Everett in the parlour.
He looked enchanting in evening wear, as handsome and elegant as a prince in a picture book. Percival had little concept of any of the latest fashions in London, and thus had no idea of how closely Mr. Everett clove to such fashions, but it was his opinion that Mr. Everett was a swell of the first stare, particularly when so elegantly dressed.
“Mr. Everett!” Percival exclaimed, as he made his way to Mr. Everett’s side. “How very well you look, and how pleased I am to see you. I must tell you—I must thank you—you see, I have had word from Lord Barham’s solicitor—thanks, no doubt, to your good word of encouragement—that not only has Lord Barham approved the renovation and expansion planned for the village, he has doubled the available capital for the venture.”
Mr. Everett smiled upon him at the news, with the same warmth and fondness he had shown from the start. Percival very much hoped that the week of cold civility that he had endured was now at an end and they might be friends again. “I am very glad to hear that. How excellent that will be for Linston! And a source of great pleasure for you, as I can see.”
“Oh, indeed,” Percival confirmed, and began to happily regale Mr. Everett with his plans and ideas. “I am planning to set out at once for London. There are things to be arranged, you see, I shall need to contract a proper architect, and a stonemason— do you think the village ought to be done in stone? There is a local quarry, but perhaps it would be cheaper in a traditional wattle and daub…”
This discussion only lasted until they were distracted by the arrival of more guests in the front hall, which reminded Percival that he had intended to serve as an additional host. They went at once to greet the guests, after which the under-butler showed the guests off to their rooms just as more guests spilled in through the door.
In the next pause between guests, Mr. Everett commented that he wished to go inquire if Miss Bolton needed any assistance with her portion of the preparations and the guests that she was beginning to entertain in the ballroom. His hand touched Percival’s shoulder briefly and lightly as he took his leave.
The warmth of his touch lingered in Percival’s memory, and he worried that perhaps Mr. Everett had taken his leave due to his new habit of avoiding Percival. It was not a particularly pleasant thought, and Percival strove to put it from his mind.
Mr. Bolton passed through not long after, taking over Percival’s duties at greeting guests and sending him to relieve Miss Bolton from what seemed to Mr Bolton as excessive worry over the flower-arranging.
A flurry of
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