Chapter 3

-x-

It was some hours later before they caught a glimpse of each other again.

The ball commenced with great success, and there was a vast array of gentlemen to keep the pretty ladies of Leadworth entertained; despite the elusive newcomer being nowhere in sight.

As nonchalantly as she could manage, Miss Jones stepped up to her friend Miss Tyler and asked her if she knew of his whereabouts.

"I'm afraid I have no knowledge of that, Martha," answered Miss Tyler, as she scanned the room for the gentleman.

"That's such a shame," Miss Jones said. "I really wished to meet him this evening."

"I'm sure you will," Miss Tyler replied. "For we have not seen Mr Mott yet, either. So don't worry – I'm sure he will bring him along for introductions very shortly."

"I hope so," Miss Jones said, her voice wistful. "Apparently he's rich and handsome!" She was a girl of sound intelligence and an observant eye, but even she could not fail to become excitable at the notion of such a wealthy gentleman arriving in their small town.

This was the peril of being a woman, thought Miss Tyler to herself. Even the most superior in intellect become silly with ideas of winning a prosperous husband and a prosperous lifestyle to match. In this time of the inferiority of women, it is hardly surprising that this would be so, but Miss Tyler silently vowed to herself that she would not become shallow as a result of the prospect of money and pretty dresses and a fancy estate. Her mother had married for love, and so would she; whatever this cost her in terms of status or wealth.

Miss Noble entered their conversation then, having wandered from where she had been the centre of one man's attention to meet her friends and discuss said gentleman. "See that man over there?" she asked, sounding bored and irritated. Miss Tyler and Miss Jones both nodded, sharing a smile for their friend's feigned distaste. "His name's Mr Temple. He's really very persistent. I can't seem to get rid of him!"

"That's because he likes you," said Miss Tyler. "And you like him too, so don't you pretend you don't!"

Miss Noble scowled at her whilst Miss Jones laughed.

"I most certainly do not!"

"Yes you do! Go and dance with him."

"No, I shan't."

"Oh go on, Donna!" urged Miss Jones.

"No," she insisted. She lowered her voice. "I don't want to look too eager."

Miss Tyler smiled. "Ah, I see. Well, leave it until the next strike of the clock, then go over to him."

She huffed in pretence of reluctance. "Oh, alright then. If I must."

Miss Jones chuckled. "Well, I'm going to go on a hunt for this new gentleman," she said. "He must be around here somewhere."

"You should check the library," Miss Tyler suggested. He'd looked to be a bookish sort of fellow, she thought.

"Yes, excellent idea! I shall force him into coming out into society and dancing with us!"

"Good luck," Miss Tyler said, watching Miss Jones hurry off.

"Have you seen him yet?" asked Miss Noble.

"Um...well. No," Miss Tyler lied, not meeting Miss Noble's eye. "Have you?"

"Yes, actually. I saw him when he first arrived – only from the window, mind."

"Oh. What's he like?"

"Very slim. Too slim. Not like my Mr Tem - " she paused, flushing red.

Miss Tyler laughed in delight. "Your Mr Temple, eh?" she teased, nudging her with her elbow.

Miss Noble rolled her eyes and lifted her chin defiantly. "Anyway, you'll like him. Grandfather says he's very agreeable, if a little stilted amongst strangers."

Miss Tyler frowned slightly. He hadn't seemed stilted at all, earlier, when she had met him. He did, however, seem very agreeable indeed.

All of a sudden, Mr Mott opened the grand door from the hallway, and cheerfully waved them over as he and a tall man whom Miss Tyler recognised instantly entered the room.

Miss Noble sighed. "Come on, then. This is him. We had better go and introduce ourselves."

Miss Tyler's eyes twinkled in remembrance of how exactly she'd introduced herself earlier on. She wondered if he would show any hint of a prior acquaintance with her. She hoped he would not, for she had just lied to her best friend by saying she'd never met him, thus things might become awkward otherwise...

-x-

"Mr Smith, I'd like to introduce you to my granddaughter, Miss Donna Noble," began Mr Mott joyfully. Mr Smith turned to Miss Noble and greeted her with a tilt of his head. "And her good friend, Miss Tyler," he continued with a kindly smile.

To this second lady Mr Smith's eyes rested on only briefly, without offering even a quick smile, before he grasped his friend by the shoulder and exclaimed, "So tell me, old friend, how have you managed to acquire such an estate?" guiding him away in the opposite direction of the two women.

Miss Tyler hid a smile at her 'new' acquaintance's rudeness, turning to speak with her friend. However, before she could utter a word to guide them off the topic of the new gentleman in town, Miss Noble spoke before her.

"That was impolite," the auburn-haired young woman began. "He didn't even say hello!"

"Well, perhaps he has more important things to worry about than thinking of his manners," Miss Tyler suggested light-heartedly.

Miss Noble gave an ineloquent snort at the idea. "Yes, quite. Apparently, like I said, he is a bit...well, I'd say proud, and we could probably tell that simply from his posture and dominance in discourse when conversing with the men, but I'm not sure. Something about him is pleasing, but..."

"He has a charming smile," noted Miss Tyler absently. "But I fear that, and ten thousand a year, is all he has to recommend himself to you."

"Oh, to be sure – I'd never consider marrying him!"

"Well, I know that. You have your designs on Mr Temple, Donna," she grinned.

Miss Noble profusely ignored this comment. "I merely meant that he seems like an agreeable man to know, if indeed you know him. It seems to me that he is a little reserved when speaking to those he is unacquainted with."

Miss Tyler once again thought over her previous – her first – meeting with the man (a meeting that she could not mention to anyone, even her dear friend) in which he had been confident and charming and not in the least bit shy or discontented. "I'm not sure reserved is the word. You had it best at impolite. Rude; but not intentionally so. I think I shall flatter us, Miss Noble," laughed Miss Tyler suddenly, in compliance with her playful disposition. "And say that I think he forgets his manners when in the company of such lovely ladies as ourselves."

"Oh yes," Miss Noble laughed with her. "That is the explanation, to be sure! Shocked into silence by our beauty!"

And the two friends spent the rest of the night dancing; Miss Noble accompanied by Mr Temple, and Miss Tyler passed from arm to arm of several gentlemen. All of whom she honestly had little to no interest in; but whenever did that matter amongst society?