sure of it. I should know, after all, I’ve been coming to them all this time, haven’t I? No, no, you must be mistaken. But it’s a frightfully good time. You must let me show you some of the better sights. I’m quite an expert, you know. How could I not be, after coming to them for so long? I’m John Ragget, by the way.”
We shook hands all around, and Aunt Winnie and I introduced ourselves. “Well, you must let me show you Bath,” John continued. “You won’t find anyone more knowledgeable. And I have a car, of course. It’s a Jaguar convertible, actually.” Addressing me, he asked, “Do you like Jaguars?”
I really didn’t care one way or the other. I wanted only to get away from this blowhard and go to our room, but my mother raised me to be polite. “They’re very nice,” I offered. Apparently, my offering missed the mark entirely.
“Nice?” John cried in a loud tone of outrage. “They’re a damn bit more than just nice, I can tell you. They’re bloody brilliant! I just got mine last week. Paid through the bloody nose for it, but, damn it, I didn’t care! I simply had to have it. When I see something I want, I’m not one to dither about. No, indeed. I act!”
“You’re perfect,” Aunt Winnie said, her eyes bright. I surreptitiously nudged her, hoping she’d rein in the sarcasm, but I needn’t have bothered. John missed her meaning entirely.
“Well, as you Americans are fond of saying, that’s how I roll,” he informed us with a straight face. Aunt Winnie was right. He was perfect. Unintentionally so, and for all the wrong reasons, but nevertheless, he was indeed perfect.
“So, is it a date?” he asked, jolting me out of my thoughts.
“Date?” I repeated, confused. Surely I had misheard.
“Yes. To show you around Bath. In my car,” John answered.
I turned to Aunt Winnie for assistance, but she was of no help. Instead, she considered me, her eyes merry and her mouth spread in a wide grin. I could have killed her. “Oh, well, that’s very nice of you,” I finally managed, “but I’m afraid we already have plans today. We’re meeting friends.”
John was not deterred. “Oh, who are you meeting? I probably know them. I know practically everybody here.”
“Cora and Izzy Beadle,” I replied hesitantly, hoping that he did not know them. Seeing his blue eyes light up, I knew that hope was in vain.
“Izzy! Why, Izzy is one of my closest friends here! This is perfect! We can all go together.”
My brain, still tired and suffering from the draining effects of jet lag, drew a complete and utter blank. I gaped at John in frustrated confusion. Thankfully, Aunt Winnie finally came to my rescue.
“That’s a lovely invitation, John,” she said now, as she took my arm to steer me toward the stairs, “but I am afraid that we will have to decline it. However, I’m sure we will run into you later during the festival. Now, if you will excuse us.”
John called out something about getting in touch with Izzy, but Aunt Winnie kept us both moving steadily up the stairs until we were out of his sight.
“Dear God,” I muttered when we were out of earshot.
“What are you complaining about?” Aunt Winnie teased as we continued down the hall to our room. “I thought you loved the English. If I’d told you a week ago that an Englishman, complete with a tweedy blazer and posh accent, would be practically begging to take you for a drive in his convertible, you would have been thrilled.”
“First of all, I am quite happy with Peter, thank you very much. And second, that man gives all Englishmen a bad name. They should take away his passport.” I paused. “I have to admit, that while Catherine Morland isn’t my favorite of the Austen heroines, she does have one trait that I envy.”
“Really, what?”
“When she first came to Bath, she didn’t have a single acquaintance. I, on the other hand, have not only acquired a new best friend but have secured the attention of a
We shook hands all around, and Aunt Winnie and I introduced ourselves. “Well, you must let me show you Bath,” John continued. “You won’t find anyone more knowledgeable. And I have a car, of course. It’s a Jaguar convertible, actually.” Addressing me, he asked, “Do you like Jaguars?”
I really didn’t care one way or the other. I wanted only to get away from this blowhard and go to our room, but my mother raised me to be polite. “They’re very nice,” I offered. Apparently, my offering missed the mark entirely.
“Nice?” John cried in a loud tone of outrage. “They’re a damn bit more than just nice, I can tell you. They’re bloody brilliant! I just got mine last week. Paid through the bloody nose for it, but, damn it, I didn’t care! I simply had to have it. When I see something I want, I’m not one to dither about. No, indeed. I act!”
“You’re perfect,” Aunt Winnie said, her eyes bright. I surreptitiously nudged her, hoping she’d rein in the sarcasm, but I needn’t have bothered. John missed her meaning entirely.
“Well, as you Americans are fond of saying, that’s how I roll,” he informed us with a straight face. Aunt Winnie was right. He was perfect. Unintentionally so, and for all the wrong reasons, but nevertheless, he was indeed perfect.
“So, is it a date?” he asked, jolting me out of my thoughts.
“Date?” I repeated, confused. Surely I had misheard.
“Yes. To show you around Bath. In my car,” John answered.
I turned to Aunt Winnie for assistance, but she was of no help. Instead, she considered me, her eyes merry and her mouth spread in a wide grin. I could have killed her. “Oh, well, that’s very nice of you,” I finally managed, “but I’m afraid we already have plans today. We’re meeting friends.”
John was not deterred. “Oh, who are you meeting? I probably know them. I know practically everybody here.”
“Cora and Izzy Beadle,” I replied hesitantly, hoping that he did not know them. Seeing his blue eyes light up, I knew that hope was in vain.
“Izzy! Why, Izzy is one of my closest friends here! This is perfect! We can all go together.”
My brain, still tired and suffering from the draining effects of jet lag, drew a complete and utter blank. I gaped at John in frustrated confusion. Thankfully, Aunt Winnie finally came to my rescue.
“That’s a lovely invitation, John,” she said now, as she took my arm to steer me toward the stairs, “but I am afraid that we will have to decline it. However, I’m sure we will run into you later during the festival. Now, if you will excuse us.”
John called out something about getting in touch with Izzy, but Aunt Winnie kept us both moving steadily up the stairs until we were out of his sight.
“Dear God,” I muttered when we were out of earshot.
“What are you complaining about?” Aunt Winnie teased as we continued down the hall to our room. “I thought you loved the English. If I’d told you a week ago that an Englishman, complete with a tweedy blazer and posh accent, would be practically begging to take you for a drive in his convertible, you would have been thrilled.”
“First of all, I am quite happy with Peter, thank you very much. And second, that man gives all Englishmen a bad name. They should take away his passport.” I paused. “I have to admit, that while Catherine Morland isn’t my favorite of the Austen heroines, she does have one trait that I envy.”
“Really, what?”
“When she first came to Bath, she didn’t have a single acquaintance. I, on the other hand, have not only acquired a new best friend but have secured the attention of a
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