Page 40 of Fortuitous Encounters
“Yes.”
“Only a farthing?”
“Yes.”
“I will find whatever is left of his dead carcass and finish killing him. I can only imagine what you said to that.”
“Probably not.”
“What did you say, exactly, Benita? Sometimes you take Mama's lesson about using words as weapons a little too literally, and I wonder if the boy will survive. Will I find him crying in the corner or looking for new trousers? Tell me, what toxic bit of vocabulary did you use? How egregious was the set-down? What exactly did you say?”
“No.”
“What do you mean, 'No'?”
“That is what I said. 'No.'“
“That's all?”
“Yes.”
“Not another word?”
“Yes.”
“At a ball where everyone will know you gave up an entire evening to avoid one set with him. No explanation. Nothing to either soften the blow or make it even worse? Nothing where he could salvage a tiny little bit of pride?”
“I said 'No'. Nothing else is required.”
“You are a heartless girl, Benita Fitzwilliam. He will never live that down.”
~
“Son, I hear Benita turned you down for a dance without even the courtesy of a set-down or explanation.”
“She did, Papa.”
“She just said 'no' and nothing more.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“She gets more heartless every year. How is your pride to survive that?”
“I don’t know. I can’t figure out why I even tried. We can’t stand each other.”
“Yes, you two never liked each other. I think she tried to strangle you in your cradle before either of you could even walk.”
“Yes, we definitely do not like each other.”
“Maybe you should just let her be. Eventually most boys learn a fire is hot and quit touching the stove.”
“Sage advice, Papa.”
~
“Benita, did you really take Bennet's favourite horse on a bet?”
“I did.”
