DEVEREAUX FALLS IN LOVE

"Thanks for dancing with me" the pretty blonde girl said. "I am sorry I can't do many of the complicated dances, but back home I did learn to waltz."

Dev handed Miss Ingalls a glass of punch. That hair wasn't blonde, it was GOLDEN, like a waterfall of ecstasy. "I want you to know, Miss Ingalls, that this may be the last sip you get that isn't infiltrated with a little gin. I'm afraid my brother has been pouring from his flask."

Miss Ingalls turned towards Dev's voice and smiled. "Well, I'm glad we got the pure stuff just in time. I'm afraid my Pa wouldn't be pleased if he thought I was imbibing, you know."

Dev laughed. "Well, my father drinks with one side of his mouth, and preaches with the other, but really, the boys shouldn't be messing with the punch bowl at my sister's ball. It was the same last week at my friend Dickie's cotillion. Everyone was weaving."

Miss Ingalls chortled—how musical it was, Dev thought!—and sipped her punch. "I don't think my father has ever drank very much, although his friend Mister Edwards does put it away now and then. Actually, I don't think Pa has ever drank at all, from what I remember, and my mother of course never has."

"Things must be quiet at your place then." Dev wondered if this girl's family were religious nuts. But it didn't make sense, Reck implied that Mary Ingalls had contracted some sort of eye disease from impure—but Devereaux knew his cousin of old, and silver tongued Reckness was. But not always a great adherer to the truth...

"I love this music, Devereaux." Miss Ingalls said. "It's so beautiful."

"This waltz was written by Alexander Glazunov." Dev said, smiling. "It's called 'Concert Waltz No. 2' It has a selection of Chopin orchestrations, which I'm fond of."

"Concert Waltz Number Two?" asked Miss Ingalls, laughing melodically. "That's not a very imaginative title, is it?" She brushed Dev's hand with her fingers, and his heart sang. Devereaux was amazed that Reckness was not glued to this girl's side.

But of course Cousin Reckness had just slipped upstairs with Grace Cleeve's maiden aunt, hadn't he?

MARY IS HAVING FUN, A BIT

The sounds were so…Mary wished she could tell Laura about this, or that Laura was here to describe it all to her. Mary took in the music, the laughter, but of course a feminine part wanted to know what the frocks looked like, how the fox-trots were going…and what Reckness was doing.

Why wasn't he with her? Reckness had promised Mary that he wanted her to be his companion for this debutante thing just because he had a deep shyness, and was unsure of how to behave around the Midwestern relatives.

Mary had been so nervous about this. She'd written to Ma for advice, and Ma had reluctantly consented. Adam had been so piggish though—why didn't he understand Mary wanting to get to know different folk?

Clara, Mary's roommate back at the school had been somewhat pragmatic. "Well, if Mr. Kendall is as sweet on you as it seems, perhaps he's afraid you'll marry a rich husband as Reckness most assuredly is. Remember how fast Bessie ran off with Eye-Patch Victor, whose daddy's a sheep rancher? Reckness Cardew could buy and sell that fella."

It was true. Bessie had been an honor student at the school, and Vic just an ignorant sophomore, in his early twenties, no less, but when he'd proposed, she'd eloped with him. They had a secure future under the mantle of Vic's doting father.

But I'm not a gold-digger. I really like Reckness…and Adam, perhaps.

Mary was confused to her honest soul. She had some feelings for Adam, she'd felt his strong shoulders in her hands, but he wasn't exciting. As Nellie Ollson would say "He doesn't make my stockings go up and down."

And Clara's summation of one hesitant swain at the school was similar "He doesn't ring my chimes"

It took quite a bit for Mary's attention to be distracted. But she'd never felt so strongly for a boy like Reckness, not since, perhaps John Junior!

But the boys had been quite fun at this party! They were gay and filled with laughter, not worried about money and hard work like so many of the young men back in Walnut Grove. Not so serious like Adam…oh Adam!

But Reckness's cousins' were quite something! Boulevardiers if such foppish creatures ever existed!

Oliphant, Dev's eldest brother had whirled Mary around briefly in a fun dance, but he of course was married…Mary had heard the edge in Lila's voice when she'd said "Ollie, put that poor eye-less girl down, you'll make her sick."

Ninian and Alton were cheerful, but so mischievous! Mary had laughed with them, remembering Pa's comical friend Jonathan Garvey.

Devereaux was such a nice boy, though. So patient and what a listener, and Mary could feel his bicep through his jacket. Quite manly! Dev was still nattering on about music…not that Mary didn't find it interesting, but where was Reckness?

AT IT AGAIN, OLD BOY

"My friend Mazie tells me you took her on a picnic the last time you visited your relations here."

Reckness hated the part after sexual congress was complete, when the lady wanted to talk. He'd thought this one, an older sort of twenty-eight, would be mature enough to just enjoy the pleasure, but of course she was an insecure shrew, like so many others.

Did women expect Reckness to be a monk? Just because he couldn't SEE, he should be grateful for their occasional attentions? He'd felt the pimples on this woman's face, his tongue had detected buck teeth, and she wasn't married a decade after you were supposed to be."

"Oh, no Miss Cleeve, I only went to the picnic with Mazie to ask her questions about you." ?He paused, wondering if he had left his flask by the punch bowl. And where the hell was his snuff?

"I don't know if I really believe that, Reckness Cardew."

Why couldn't women just EXPIRE after sexual congress…it wasn't as if this one was going to be producing any heirs, no one, in fact, wanted her.

"Oh, Miss Cleeve, I had to be very cagey with Grace, because I really wanted to get to know you better. We had such a fascinating discussion about Thackeray the last time we were together, you and I. I sensed your inner beauty then."

Reckness had to get out of the room. Where the hell were his pants?