Page 48 of The Labours of Lord Perry Cavendish

Zander’s gaze softened. “Oh, Perry, I’m sorry.” He paused, then added, “And please stop putting yourself down. You know I hate it.”

“Sorry,” Perry said. “I promise I don’t do it to fish for compliments.”

“I know you don’t,” Zander said, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. “That’s why I hate it.”

Perry gave a weak laugh. “You know you’re the best friend a man could have.”

Zander gave a lopsided grin in response. “Course, I am! I’m Master Perfect, ain’t I?”

Perry chuckled at the old schoolboy nickname. “Ain’t you just!” he teased back.

“Fastest bowler, best runner, best swimmer—”

“Biggest head,” Perry added with a grin.

“Lies!” Zander exclaimed, all outrage now.

“Biggest,fattesthead,” Perry amended. “And vain as a peacock too!”

“Oh, vain as a herd of peacocks!” Zander agreed, grinning.

“Peacocks don’t go about in herds, you dunce,” Perry added.

“Don’t they?” Zander said, canting his head to one side? “No, that’s elephants, ain’t it?”

“Bird-witted, y’see,” Perry said, knocking his knuckles gently on his friend’s perfect forehead. “Peacocks is something else.”

Zander rubbed his chin. “A pack? A gaggle? A school?”

“No,” Perry said triumphantly, lifting his chin.

“What is it then, you show-off?”

“An ostentation.”

Zander eyed him suspiciously. “You’re funning.”

“No, I’m bloody not! I’ll never forget that one—old Warner gave me a rotten thrashing for not knowing it.”

Zander shook his head. “I swear that man was deranged.”

Perry just laughed. “It wasn’t the first or last time, and at least I managed to remember the reason for that one.”

Zander scowled. “If I ever see him again, I swear I’ll sweep his walking stick out from under him, the sadistic old bastard!”

“Now who might you two be talking about?” Adam said, strolling towards them, with Jonny following in his wake.

“Just our housemaster at school,” Zander said. “He was an absolute brute, especially to Perry—any excuse to thrash him.” Zander turned back to Perry. “I’m sure it was because you were already taller than him by the time you were twelve.”

“Probably,” Perry agreed. “He used to call me Gogmagog, do you remember?”

“What a horrible bully,” Jonny said, and when Perry glanced at him, he saw the gleam of angry tears in his eyes.

Perry determinedly returned his gaze to Zander.

“Let’s forget about that old devil,” Zander said. “Dinner will be ready, and I’m so hungry I swear I could eat a rabid ferret.”

Adam laughed. “Such an elegant way you have with you, my love. Come on then. Lead the way.”