Chapter 3

As it turned out, Victor's parents were just outside the front door, or as Nell called it, the main entranceway. She felt the strange need to give everything a grand title. If it wasn't so preposterous, she might have even called herself and William, 'Lord and Lady Van Dort.' William was leaning more towards Victor's reaction to the newness of the fortune. He was the one who was extremely pleased with the situation, but not so conceited with the wealth that he would seek out a title for himself.

"Here he is now." Nell said haughtily toward two very ghastly-looking people, a short wide man, resembling a frog, and a very tall slender woman with disturbingly large gray hair. This must be a family of aristocrats. Victor thought to himself. He took a retreating step backward, which wasn't as discreet as he thought. He stepped on some sort of rock, felt a fleeting jolt of adrenaline, and fell. Mayhew moved sideways to avoid stepping on Victor and stifled his laugh with a cough. Victor's mother stood there, not noticing what happened, and Victor's father let out a sort of wheeze. The Everglotts looked down with disgust at their future son-in-law.

If they think I died… maybe they'll just leave. Victor hoped, but Mayhew stooped down, and grabbed Victors arm to lift him up. Victor's face burned. "Did you hurt yourself?" Mayhew inquired. Victor looked up at him. For such a pale kid, Mayhew thought, he sure can turn red.

Victor stood up, feeling frail. Despite his discomfort, he was determined to make a good impression. He'd make polite conversation. Exactly, I'll be the conversation artist of the century, after making myself look like a complete fool. "Mrs.-err-ma'am, I… um…" Immediately his mother began to talk. Saved by my mother… He thought as his face burned hotter than ever before.

Scraps looked up. His pink puppy tongue was hanging down out of his mouth as he inquiringly stared at Victor. "Victor?" Scraps? He thought.

"Victor!" Nell said sharply, once again ripping Victor from his train of thought.

"Yes?" Victor answered.

"The reason that you're here is because the Everglotts want you to marry their daughter. Do you understand?"

"What!" Victor said loudly, dumbly unsure of what he'd just heard.

"Oh, not now of course. You two will marry when you come of age," answered Victor's mother, matter-of-factly.

"O-of course…" He scratched the back of his neck.

Maudeline raised a disapproving eyebrow, and said a brief prayer in her head that he would be much less awkward when he grew up.

"Sh-should I meet her soon?" Victor asked while Scraps nudged his leg.

"When you come of age."

Victor's mind was frantic, when I come of age? When will I come of age? He blinked himself back to the present, and looked up at his father. He wanted his father on his side. He didn't want to think of some girl being his bossy wife. Wives were all bossy, right?

"Well, this calls for some celebration, right?" Nell said loudly as she nudged her husband in the gut. He let out a faint oof. "Yes, how about tomorrow night? A good get-together, so we can all get to know each other. How's that? Here? Wonderful!"

"I suppose." Mr. Everglott said, in a strangely strangled voice. His wife merely nodded. Goodness they were unpleasant!

"There's bound to be some very important people, so we have to hurry and arrange this!" Nell whispered sharply to William. "Well, thank you for the conference. We'll notify you when the dinner is."

"Yes." Mr. Everglott said in his tight voice. And the Everglotts left.

Victor seized up, and fainted.

"That went well," said Nell.