Chapter 2
The party had gotten into full swing once more, and Damien Thorndyke was now face to face once again with Scarlett O'Hara. "Hello, Miss O'hara," he said.
"It's good to see you again, Captain Thorndyke," Scarlet replied brightly. "I tell you, you should learn to take naps. They do wonders for me!"
"So does your beauty regimen, apparently," Damien replied.
"Why if that isn't the sweetest thing I've heard all day!" Scarlett replied. "Pity most men don't mean what they say."
"Yes it really is a shame that no Yankee means what he says," said Damien. "Why, I'm tempted to say the only difference between a Yankee and a fence post is one's a logical creature who can think, reason and read, and the other's a Yankee."
Scarlett genuinely laughed at that. She'd expected Damien to say 'oh but I do,' or 'Why, Miss O'Hara, surely you don't think all men are liars.' But he'd turned her comment on its head.
"Well, enough about Yankees and rumors that Georgia's going to secede, how are you finding Clayton County?"
Damien smiled. "It's alright," he said. "I like the people, certainly. In fact the cotton's just being planted. Odd choice, considering we Thorndykes are born horse breeders, but… well I don't want to run the Tarletons out of business."
"Oh but the Tarletons have the best horses in Georgia," Scarlett countered.
"Well we have the best horses in the entire South," Damien said proudly. "Just ask my father, old Randall Thorndyke, and he'll say…"
Scarlett made a show of hanging onto Damien's every word, knowing full well that men liked talking about their accomplishments. Oh, she was listening, but if it wasn't about her, then she most assuredly could think of better topics.
"Which brings me to my Grand Tour," said Damien. "When I was visiting England with my family across the Atlantic…" He was interrupted by the ringing of a small bell, and the formal declaration, "Dinner is served."
"What would you like, Miss O'Hara?" Damien asked, "there's a buffet set up."
"How about… oh, ribs and mashed potatoes and gravy with spinach sounds lovely." Damien walked off to get the food, and Scarlett noticed something. He didn't rush off like a puppy like most men. No, he casually sauntered along… like he was… used to this kind of attention? But no, he couldn't be! Oh, the ladies weren't flocking to him or anything, and he certainly wasn't being particularly fast and loose… but he wasn't in any rush, either. When he came back, Scarlett just smiled.
"So," said Damien, "what do you think of Palatine Hill?"
"I was here when the previous owners occupied it," said Scarlett. "It wasn't as open or airy as it is now, but it was still nice. You seem to prefer open space."
"I've always loved open spaces," said Damien. "What, you think I'm going to ride my horse at full gallop down a narrow alley with the wind in my hair?"
"I do rather love riding," said Scarlett. "And I'm good with numbers. My pa says I'm too smart for my own good."
"I like a lady with brains," said Damien. "In fact, how about instead of being demure, you speak your mind? Spirited ladies who know what they're about are so much better than mealy-mouthed ones who can't say anything but 'yes' and 'no' and raise a pack of equally mealy mouthed children. God no! You think the Thorndykes are known to be laconic and held down?" He scoffed. "Guess again! I mean yes, we're reserved and polite when the situation demands it, but you ought to see us at home!"
Scarlett was genuinely surprised. Why, everyone else told her to be the opposite of who she was… but not Damien, apparently. She wanted to be more like her mother when she grew older, but she had her whole youth ahead of her! "Well that sounds perfectly alright to me," she said. "I'm going to go mingle for a while." She looked Damien directly into the eyes and waggled her finger. "Don't you dare philander with some other girl," she warned, "or I'll be furious." Gerald O'Hara soon arrived at Damien's table and smiled. "So, I notice you like my Katie Scarlett," he said.
Damien smiled. "Well honestly, I do. She's spirited, intelligent, and certainly attractive." He held up his hands. "But if you've got someone else in mind for her I understand."
"Palatine Hill needs a mistress, Captain Thorndyke," said Gerald.
"And as a Thorndyke, I need a spirited lady, smart as a whip. Why if she and I hadn't just met, then… well by God I'd give her a ring."
Gerald nodded. "I've no objection," he said, "should the time come." He sat next to Damien and straightened up. "So tell me of your Grand Tour."
Damien leaned back and told Gerald all about how he'd landed in England and visited his family, detailing the history of the Thorndykes. "And in 1690, Cornelius Thorndyke, from whom I take my middle name, thank you, fought alongside William of Orange in the Battle of the Boyne."
Gerald tensed up. "Oh… ah… what do you think of the Irish?"
Damien laughed. "Great people and they know how to throw a party and drink with the best!" he said wholeheartedly. "Old Cornelius Thorndyke may have fought you, but I sure won't… unless of course there are Irish Yankees, in which case, well… doom on them."
"So where'd your parents get Damien?"
"The original Damien Thorndyke was a simple horse breeder, and preferred a peaceful life," said Damien, "but he fought if he had to. Bear in mind that this was during the Civil War. Some of us fought for the Royalists, some of us for Cromwell. But after the war, we were a family again. In fact, we didn't move to the New World until about 1755, when the family got too big to stay in England all at once."
Damien then waxed on about Prussia. "That's where I got my sense of discipline. I imported it to my regiment, and the colonel liked it so much, he made me a captain. And Bavaria? Why, Munich during Oktoberfest is the greatest thing since the Reformation!" The two kept talking until Scarlett returned. Gerald left, and Scarlett took his spot. She looked downtrodden… inconsolable, even. "What's happened?" Damien asked. "Bad ribs?"
Scarlett shook her head. "I… I spoke with Ashley Wilkes and…" She sighed. "I…" She gently pushed her plate away. "I don't guess I'm as hungry as I thought."
Damien shuddered. "Must've been some ill news, then… what's happened?" Scarlett forced a smile. "Oh, ah… nothing. I'm just… full, that's all." Damien shrugged, and they continued to converse.
