Once again, thanks to everyone for the positive feedback! I'm glad people are enjoying this journey into the jerkish psyche that is Larry Grey :oP This particular chapter was difficult to write, just because I wanted to confront a topic that I thought "certain boys" talk about (and I'm sure we're all familiar sadly, in some way, of such conversations happening) and it struck me as something that Larry would think/talk about. I kept rewriting this chapter because I wasn't sure how *dark* to take it, and I think I found the right balance in the end. Anyway, hope despite the subject matter, you enjoy!
Practically a Man
April 1906
He's sixteen now, "practically a man" his father declares on the morning of his birthday. Larry can't help but frown at this. Practically? He's a star cricket player, the best rider at his school, and one of the most popular boys. No one would dare cross his path or say anything negative about his family. If that doesn't make him a man, what does?
Well, perhaps the one thing so many of his schoolmates brag about, but in truth, he has yet to experience.
The stories are always the same.
"She's a milkmaid on my father's property…"
"A pretty upstairs housemaid…"
"She has the biggest tits you've ever seen!"
"She says I can put it anywhere!"
They're all rubbish of course; they have to be. There's no way any of these tossers have all these girls lined up with their legs spread and aching, before him. It's just not possible.
It's during the Easter holidays, when his family is once again visiting Downton, that Larry finds himself wondering if Patrick has had these experiences.
Patrick is considered to be quite handsome. He has dark brown hair, dark blue eyes; Patrick is the same height as himself, but with a bit more muscle. The girls do seem to swoon whenever he passes, and Edith follows him like a lovesick puppy.
He feels his jaw clench at the thought.
Patrick probably has no problem. "He's so handsome! He's so charming!" the young housemaids murmur, pausing to admire Patrick's physique, rather than doing their jobs.
Bastard. They would lie down and offer themselves to him if he just gave them a wink! It's not fair.
But there is this one housemaid that's been looking at him, he's noticed.
She's not very pretty. She's a big girl too. But it is him she's eyeing and not Patrick.
"Who's that maid?" he asks Patrick at one point. Patrick knows all the servants; he's going to the earl one day, after all.
"Liza," he answers. "She started at Christmas."
"She seems keen…"
He's clearly surprised the future Earl of Grantham, because Patrick nearly spits his punch everywhere.
"You're not serious?"
"Why not?" Larry looks smug. "I haven't had any since the Christmas holidays," he lies.
Patrick laughs. "Are you that desperate?"
Larry frowns, but swallows his retort. "I bet she's good with her mouth."
"Ugh, that's disgusting!" But Larry can tell that Patrick is intrigued.
"What are you talking about?"
They both jump at the sound of her voice. Why isn't she playing with the other misfits?
"Nothing, Sybil," Patrick lies.
But she doesn't believe them. "Are you making fun of Liza?" She looks angry, and her hands are on her hips. "You should treat women with respect!"
Why is she so self-righteous? "She's just a housemaid."
"She's a person!" Sybil proclaims. "And all people, men and women, employer and employee, deserve respect!"
Larry turns away and rolls his eyes. "Where does your cousin get these ideas?"
Patrick shrugs. "She's just being Sybil."