Friendship and Folly: The Merriweather Chronicles Book I Read Online Free PDF Page B

was an exercise designed to improve a girl’s temper, and strengthen her character?” Mr. Parry’s objections, being more general, were of a more temperate nature: he merely rated it an utter waste of time, monies and energies.
    With preconceptions such as these, it was clearly useless to reason, and Mrs. Northcott wisely made no attempt to do so. Instead, she approached the Earl, for he, unlike his son-in-law, had so high an opinion of himself and his own judgement, that a well-turned piece of flattery was always received by him with sincere gratification, as nothing more than a respectful articulation of the truth.
    Ann was not privileged to be witness to her mother’s strategy; nor, since Mrs. Northcott chose her opportunities with as much care as she chose her words, were any of the Parrys. No doubt she adopted the advice of her noble preceptor:
    “Some people are to be reasoned, some flattered, some intimidated, and some teased into a thing; but, in general, all are to be brought into it at last, if skillfully applied to, properly managed, and indefatigably attacked in their several weak places. The time should likewise be judiciously chosen. Every man has his mollia tempora….”
    In any event, there is no need for an actual witness to the scene, as the methods employed can be easily deduced from the results obtained. By October of that same year, the Earl was entirely persuaded; 1. that there had never been a young lady born in England as beautiful and charming as Julia, nor ever would be again; 2. that he was a paragon of modesty and self-denial to have endured for eighteen years, the indifference of thick-headed neighbors, inured by time and familiarity to the wonder that was his granddaughter; 3. that true appreciation for such attributes as hers, was to be found only at Court; 4. that every young lady longed for the excitement and gaiety of a London season, and Julia would thank him forever should he bestow such a treat on her; 5. that these were his own conclusions from beginning to end, and Northcott’s wife (a handsome woman for her years, and perspicacious as well) had done no more than compliment him on his granddaughter’s fine appearance.
    Fostering a series of misconceptions as precise and disparate as these is no small feat, and Mrs. Northcott was justly pleased with her accomplishment; the more so, as she was prey to a misconception of her own, but one common to the whole circle of the Earl’s acquaintance, and that was, that his lordship had anything at all to say concerning Julia’s future, or indeed that of any Parry.
    In the past, various attempts to interfere in Mr. Parry’s arrangements for his household had brought Lord Meravon the unwelcome understanding, that his son-in-law was at any time more than half inclined to return to an establishment of his own, and that the least amount of pressure from the direction of Merriweather, would probably tumble him right over. As landlord, father and grandfather to his family, the Earl commanded Mr. Parry’s entire respect and consideration--but there it ended. And his lordship, having no real wish to alienate the few descendants who still spoke of him with affection, had learned to hold his tongue, and placate his thwarted will by visiting unnecessary improvements on his hapless tenants. But for her ignorance of this state of affairs Mrs. Northcott had every excuse, as the true impotence of his situation was a thing the Earl took care to conceal, even from himself, whenever he was able.
    And if he could not command, he could certainly expound, and, like any new convert, he expounded with such zeal and tenacity, that Lady Frances, calling to confer on a letter received from her brother Thomas, was considerably taken aback at having The Advantages Of A Season For Julia preached at her head for more than an hour--with all six points, and practical applications--and left in some perturbation, to find her husband, and discuss what must be done to check