a/n still using the P&P source material as the characters get introduced...still don't own it (that should be obvious) still don't own the VM characters, just hope you enjoy seeing them in this context

Chapter 3

Not all that Mrs. Mars, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Kane. They attacked him in various ways; with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all; and they were at last obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbor Natalie Mackenzie. Her report was highly favorable. Sam had been delighted with him. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole, he and his friends had been invited to Carmen's Labor Day party.

Of course, Veronica and Meg were somewhat more enterprising than the other Mars daughters. Meg, at Veronica's insistence, ran his name through the news checker at the television station where she just started working. Meg herself was newly moved back to Neptune after working in several smaller markets in Texas and Kansas, and had just taken a job as the morning beat reporter. She was captivated by both Mr. Kane's handsome photos but the long list of charities that he was involved in.

"Ronica," Meg started, flipping through the printed pages slowly, "don't you think this is an invasion of privacy, searching for information on Mr. Kane before we even meet him? Does it not take some of the pleasure away from good conversation and mutual discovery?"

Her eyebrows waggling, Veronica queried "Mutual discovery? Why sweet sister, just how handsome is the young Mr. Kane?"

Blushing prettily, a pink flush across her ivory checks, Meg merely handed the file to her younger sister.

Flipping pages, Veronica let out a low whistle. Mr. Kane was indeed dashing, though Veronica thought privately he had nothing on the young man standing slightly behind him in one of the photos, tall, dark hair with sun kissed blond tips, and a killer smile. "So…" her head tilting to the side, "does this mean you don't know what I found out in my background check?"

Veronica has started working at their father's private investigation firm shortly after he founded it when they were in high school. She had actually acquired her own P.I. license in college, and had worked extensively on cases before entering law school two years ago. For her it went without question that when a new, handsome, rich, young man moved to Neptune, home to scandals swept quietly under rugs that would be worth a dozen movies of the week, that she would do a background check before allowing herself or her sisters get involved.

Meg pondered a moment. "I think we should let fate and fortune take its natural course for once Ronnie, why don't we just meet Mr. Kane at Carmen's party?" And so, Veronica, who loved her older sister more than herself, put the file labeled Duncan Kane away, unread, and joined in her sisters and mother's torment of her father in asking questions of the young gentlemen.

In a few days Mr. Kane returned Mr. Mars's visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father. The ladies were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining, from an upper window, that he wore a blue sweater and drove a black Mercedes.

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Mars planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all. Mr. Kane was obliged to be in Los Angles the following day, and consequently unable to accept the honor of their invitation. Mrs. Mars was quite disconcerted. She could not imagine what business he could have in town so soon after his arrival in Neptune; and she began to fear that he might be always flying about from one place to another, and never settled in Neptune as he ought to be. Natalie Mackenzie quieted her fears a little by starting the idea of his being gone to Los Angles only to get a large party for Carmen's party; and a report soon followed that Mr. Kane was to bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the affair. The younger girls grieved over such a large number of ladies; but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing that, instead of twelve, he had brought only six with him from Los Angeles, his five sisters and a cousin. And when the party entered the assembly room, it consisted of only five altogether; Mr. Kane, his two sisters, the husband of the oldest, and another young man.

Mr. Kane was good looking and gentleman like; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. Immediately, the party found he was a perfect fit for the 09ers clique, and they welcomed him like a returning prince.

His brother-in-law, Mr. Casablancas, merely looked the gentleman; but gossip quickly spread that it was none other than Dick Casablancas, who had grown up in Neptune. Dick and his younger brother Cassidy had left Neptune almost eight years ago, slightly after Big Dick Casablancas, their father had been sent to federal prison over his Ponzi scheme. A little known fact, was that his exposure as a fraud was due to the tenacity and investigative school of Veronica Mars. But like all things in Neptune, time and enough money made people forget and Big Dick was back running a new real estate empire, with a new trophy wife at his side. Dick Casablancas still looked the epitome of bored, slightly dumb surfer.

Mr. Kane's friend, Mr. Echols, soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten million a year, being the son of Oscar winning actors Aaron and Lynn Echols, and being a notable author in his own right. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Kane, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large mansion in the Hamptons could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend. One thing the 09ers did not like was someone feeling superior to them, for that was their sole prerogative over others.

Mr. Kane had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the party closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Mr. Echols danced only once with Mrs. Casablancas and once with Miss Kane. Lily Kane for her part made sure to dance with every attractive man, and some of the women to before the night was out. Her long blonde hair flowing, her couture dress flashing, she was quickly established as a determined flirt, and many wondered about wooing her, while several of the younger girls, wondered how to be her.

Mr. Echols, for his part, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party. His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again. Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Mars, whose dislike of his general behavior was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters, and the vodka that she had been drinking since noon.

Veronica Mars had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for several dances; and during part of that time, Mr. Echols had been standing near enough for her to overhear a conversation between him and Mr. Kane, who came from the dance for a few minutes to press his friend to join it.

"Come, Echols," said he, "I must have you dance, or at least find someone to talk to. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."

"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such a party as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to speak with." With that he looked back down at his smart phone, thinking the matter closed.

"I would not be so fastidious as you are," cried Kane, pressing his friend into further conversation, "Upon my honor I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them that are uncommonly pretty."

"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room," said Mr. Echols, looking at the eldest Miss Mars.

"She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask her sister to introduce you."

"Really Duncan, who talks like that? I thought I was the author. But fine, which girl do you mean?" and turning round, he looked for a moment at Veronica, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."

Mr. Kane followed his advice. Mr. Echols walked off, scotch in one hand, his phone in the other; and Veronica remained with no very cordial feelings towards him. She told the story however with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.

The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Mars had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield party, and if she had any concerns when she learned that Mr. Kane's father was indeed Jake Kane, who was her friend, a long time ago, the vodka made her dismiss them. Mr. Kane had danced with Meg twice, and she had been distinguished by his sisters. Meg was as much gratified by this as her mother could be, though in a quieter way.

Veronica felt Meg's pleasure. Faith had heard herself mentioned to Miss Kane as the most accomplished girl in the neighborhood; and Lizzie and Madison had been fortunate enough to be never without partners, which was all that they had yet learnt to care for at a party. They returned therefore, in good spirits to their home. They found Mr. Mars still up. With a book, he was regardless of time; and on the present occasion he had a good deal of curiosity as to the event of an evening which had raised such splendid expectations. He had rather hoped that all his wife's views on the stranger would be disappointed; but he soon found that he had a very different story to hear.

"My dear Mr. Mars," Lianne started speaking as she entered the room, "we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent party. I wish you had been there. Meg was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Kane thought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice. Only think of that my dear; he actually danced with her twice; and she was the only creature in the room that he asked a second time. First of all, he asked Miss Mackenzie. I was so vexed to see him stand up with her, she really isn't an 09er at all; but, however, he did not admire her at all; and he seemed quite struck with Meg as she was going down the dance. So, he enquired who she was, and got introduced, and asked her for the two next. Then, the two third he danced with Miss Ford, and the two fourth with Lauren Mackenzie, and the two fifth with Meg again, and the two sixth with Ronnie, and the foxtrot—"

"If he had had any compassion for me," cried her husband impatiently, "he would not have danced half so much! For God's sake, say no more of his partners. Blasted man should have sprained his ankle in the first dance! For that matter, when did dancing become such a thing at these parties? Shouldn't the young people just be drinking and making fools of themselves in more normal a fashion?"

"My dear, why bother with the cotillion classes at all if the young people aren't to dance at parties" blithely remarking on the extravagant waste of time and money that all members of the Neptune Country Club forced upon their children, as yet one more example of their have/have-not society, Mrs. Mars continued with barely a pause for another sip of vodka, "I am quite delighted with him. He is so excessively handsome and his sisters are charming women. I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare say they are straight from Fashion Week in Paris—"

Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Mars protested against any description of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek another branch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Mr. Echols.

"But I can assure you," she added, "that Ronnie does not lose much by not suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him! I wish you had been there Keith to have given him one of your set downs. I quite detest the man."

Mr. Mars for his part soon tired of his wife's prattle, but not before resolving to himself to run a background check of his own on the ill-mannered Mr. Echols.