Chapter 2: An Introduction and New Friends.
(Sullivan Manor)
Chloe tucked a curly blond strand of her styled hair behind her ear again for what seemed to be the hundredth time. It was two weeks since the wedding and tonight she had finally managed to get together a small group of friends for a dinner party. Thankfully, in that time, she’d found the soon to be new Mrs. Fordman. Her name was Lana Lang, the sweetest girl, but very unlucky in life. Her parents had died when she was very young and left her little to recommend her. Miss Lang had since stayed with Mrs. Lang's, a teacher for governess in the Village. Miss Lang was very pretty, with long dark hair, almond eyes and an overall sweet dispensation. Mr. Fordman and her would get on famously!
Chloe smiled as Mr. Fordman came through the entranceway of the ballroom. “Mr. Fordman! Welcome to our party.”
Mr. Fordman looked very smart in his black breeches and waistcoat, perhaps not as stylish as Lex, or as handsome, but...wait! Where had that thought come from?
“Miss Sullivan?” Mr. Fordman questioned.
“Oh yes, sorry. I was distracted for a moment. You were saying?”
“Thank you for including me at this gathering. A party is a party, but a party on a summer’s eve...”
“I’m very glade that you have come Mr. Fordman, for there is someone new to our social circle this evening. Her name is Lana Lang and she is the former student of Mrs. Lang, but now resides with her as well. I only met Miss Lang this evening Mr. Fordman, but I can tell you that she has great charm and beauty. I wonder if I could possibly impose on you, by asking if you could make sure that Miss Lang is comfortable throughout the evening?”
After that long explanation, Chloe held her breath for Mr. Fordman’s response.
Mr. Fordman smiled at her, “If helping Miss Lang would help you Miss Sullivan, than I will be happy to be of service.”
Chloe felt like jumping up and down, but instead put a stunning smile on and motioned to the main ballroom area. “Come I’ll make the introductions.”
Suddenly Chloe came up short in front of Miss Bates. The poor woman, Helen Bates was close to thirty-five years old. A charming woman, who at one point had been quite wealthy, but had since fallen on bad times. Chloe always went out of her way to make Miss Bates and her mother Mrs. Bates feel warm and welcome. But tonight, she really wished to reach Lana Lang and make her exciting introduction. But alas, there was Miss Bates.
“Oh Miss Sullivan.” Miss Bates began. “We have come here quite overpowered!”
Chloe smiled. “Miss Bates, Mrs. Bates, I’m delight that you could co...” “No! We are the happy ones,” Then suddenly Miss Bates noticed Mr. Fordman. “Oh, hello Mr. Fordman, how do you do?”
Mr. Fordman made to replay, but Miss Bates beat him to it.
“No. We are the happy ones. Not only to be here tonight, but also for the beautiful pork that you sent us Miss Sullivan.” Miss Bates laughed. “It was a very happy pork indeed.”
Miss Bates turned to her mother. “PORK, mother!”
She than turned back to Chloe and Mr. Fordman. Chloe was beginning to get a headache for the activity that was Miss Bates and her conversation.
“And we’re so thankful for you having us tonight, very much so.” She continued. “I was just saying to mother ‘we should be invited’ and indeed we are. Oh, doesn’t your hair look pretty? Just like an angel!”
Miss Bates turned to her mother. “ANGEL, mother!”
And once again she turned back to Chloe and she managed to keep her smile brilliant throughout the conversation.
“Oh, isn’t this a lovely party? Lovely, lovely, lovely!”
Chloe resisted rolling her eyes, it would seem that it would take a little longer to introduce Lana Lang and Whitney Fordman.
*^*^*^*^*^*^
Lex generally stayed away from parties, he never liked dancing and sometimes preferred silence to words. But he felt obliged to attend this particular party, just to watch Chloe as she put her matchmaking plan into action. Beside him was the poor unsuspecting girl that was about to be the attention of all that match making energy. Miss Lana Lang was a nice young girl, he knew her through reputation of one of the farmers off of his property. A Mr. Clark Kent, no relation to his new mother in law Mrs. Kent.
“Where will you live, now that you have completed your education with Mrs. Lang?” Lex inquired of the quite girl.
“Mrs. Lang has been kind enough to let me stay on with her. In truth, she is more a mother to be than my teacher.”
“Mr. Luthor.” A voice called.
Lex chuckled. So at last, Chloe had managed to make her way over to them with Mr. Fordman in tow. Lex turned around and again came face to face with the man that Lex knew wanted nothing to do with Miss Lana Lang. If Lex could, he would reach over take Mr. Fordman by his coat tails and throw him out the nearest window. But of course he couldn’t do that, because gentleman did not do that.
Lex inwardly groaned as he saw Chloe’s beaming smile. The fact that she was completely oblivious to Mr. Fordman's obvious attention in her, was beyond him. The man was always dotting on her, giving her those silly, stupid, flowery speeches. Was the girl so blind to any male attention to her own charms, even he had to admit it that he was surprised she hadn’t picked up on his changing feeling for her over the past year. But that was Chloe, she ran through life, looking out for everyone else. Never stopping to look out for herself.
“Ah, Chloe.” Lex responded. “I wondered where you were. Now I see that you were hard at work, making Mr. Fordman comfortable.”
Lex looked over at the man and for a brief second flashed a warning in his eyes at the other man. He used the look that had been known to freeze politicians in their tracks and Mr. Fordman looked slightly taken aback by it, but quickly recovered.
“Yes. Mr. Luthor,” Chloe began. “I have been slow in getting him over here to what will likely be the greatest enjoyment of the evening. Mr. Fordman! May I present Miss Lang.”
Mr. Fordman gave a little bow before Miss Lang, who looked a little flustered at the attention that Chloe was paying on them both.
“Any friend of Miss Sullivan’s is a friend of mine...” Began Mr.
Fordman as Chloe moved away.
Lex followed her.
“Care for some punch?” Lex asked her.
Chloe looked up. “To toast my triumph?”
Lex chuckled. “It’s not a triumph yet.”
“We’ll see.” Chloe said on a smile.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Chloe spend the remainder of the evening floating about among the guests. It wasn’t until half way through the evening, that she heard the most remarkable news. Mr. Lionel Luthor had just received word yesterday that the son he had thought lost in the shipwreck, was alive and well. He had been raised by a childless couple Lord and Lady Selsea. They had kept his true parentage a secrete, for fear that they would lose their only son, but now, years later they told him the truth and he had gotten in contact with his long lost father through lawyers in Metropolis. His name was Lucas Selsea, or Lucas Luthor, if the story was to be believed.
Chloe finally managed to corner Mr. Lionel Luthor and came right to the point. “What is this I hear that you might soon have three sons instead of two?”
Mr. Luthor nodded his head with a grin. “Indeed it is true.”
A small group gathered around them to hear the story from Mr. Luthor himself.
“I received word through my lawyers just two days ago, it appears as though he has documents, and personal belongings of both my wife Lillian and of my son Lucas. He even had the baby suit that had his name stitched in it, Lucas Luthor. And most importantly, he has curly red hair.”
Chloe laughed. “That settles it, he is one of the Luthor brothers.” Mrs. Luthor nodded her head. “His coming to meet us would be a final blessing for our marriage.”
Mr. Luthor sighed. “Unfortunately, Lady Selsea is very ill. They reside in Crate City, and he can’t make the journey until she has made a full recovery.”
Mrs. Luthor smiled. “We did receive a personal letter from him as well, just yesterday. Congratulating us on our marriage. He promises to write every fortnight with updates on Lady Selsea and to provide more information on himself as well.”
Mrs. Luthor pulled her arm out of her husbands and turned to Chloe. “My dear, come over here with me a moment.”
Chloe smiled, “I have missed are conversations Mrs. Luthor.”
Mrs. Luthor smiled kindly. “I see you have been hard at work according to my new step-son.”
Chloe’s smile beamed. “Yes! Isn’t Miss Lang delightful? She’s still a little unsure about her surroundings here in Smallville society, but I hope to be of great service to her. I could never presume though to guide her as well as you did me, but I will try.”
“Miss Lang is very lucky to have found a friend in you Chloe. But dear me, I feel that it is getting a little late, Mr. Luthor! Come, I believe it is time to set out. We must write to your new son tonight.”
Mr. Lionel Luthor came over and took his wife’s arm. “Good night Miss Sullivan. Give your father our best.”
“Yes, I will. Parties always tire him out quickly. Good night Mrs. Luthor. Mr. Luthor.”
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
(The Town)
It was just two days after the party and Chloe was walking down the main street of Smallville, arm in arm with Miss Lang. Chloe had decided that she should learn a bit more about Lana’s past, if she were to help make her a future.
“So. What kind of people were your parents?” Chloe asked.
Lana ducked her head a little. “Actually. I don’t know. Mrs. Lang has told me that I can’t know who they were and so I must be left content only with knowing that they are no longer alive.”
Chloe pursed her lips. Well, that was a bit of unsettling news. She’d known that Lana’s parents had died, but she’d assumed that she knew who her parents were. Chloe glanced up the street. “Oh no.”
Lana looked at her. “What?”
“It’s Miss Helen Bates coming. Since it’s Tuesday, she’ll have a letter from her niece Desrie Attkins. And she will want to read every part of the letter to us. Quickly, duck into this shop.”
Lana trailed after Chloe. “I do not know this Miss Desrie Attkins.” “There is not much to be said about her. When I must say something about her, I say she is elegant.”
After the near miss with Miss Helen Bates, Chloe continued her conversation with Lana Lang as she began to walk back towards Lana’s house.
“Besides you and Mrs. Lang, the only other people I know are the Kents, they have farm land off of Mr. Alexander Luthor's estate.”
Chloe bit her lip, a farmer? “Oh yes?”
“Yes. Mrs. Kent has two parlors, an oven maid, and EIGHT cows! Mr. Clark Kent used to cut fresh flowers every day near to my house.”
Chloe smiled. “How lucky for Mrs. Kent to have such a thoughtful husband.”
Lana laughed. “Oh no, Miss Sullivan. Mr. Clark Kent is her son.”
“Ah. I see. And is he then...unmarried?”
“Yes. Thought I can’t see why. He seems perfect in every way. He brought me walnuts once, and went three miles out of his way to get them, just because he heard me say I liked them.”
Chloe frowned. It sounded as though Miss Lana Lang had a bit of a soft spot for this…farmer. That would not do at all if she were going to set Lana up with Mr. Whitney Fordman.
“So. Tell me more about Mr. Clark Kent. Is he a man of information?” “Oh, yes! He reads the agricultural reports, and I recommend that he read The Romance of the Forest, and he said he would.”
“And what sort of looking man is he?”
“Oh very handsome, he has the loveliest black hair, he is quite tall. Have you never seen him when he is in town?”
Chloe felt that she was really going to have to put Lana straight about Mr. Clark Kent soon. “The Kents are the sort of people that I have nothing to do with. A farmer needs none of my help, and is therefore as much above my notice, as he is below it. In fact...”
“Oh! Miss Sullivan. There he is now. How do I look.”
Chloe looked a little down the country road. Sure enough, there was the farmer coming towards them. Well, he was dressed in a good manner…for a farmer.
Chloe glanced at Lana. “You look fine dear.”
Lana kept checking her hair and dress as Mr. Clark Kent approached.
“Good day!” Mr. Clark Kent said, taking off his hat as he arrived in front of the two of them. Chloe did have to admit he was rather tall. Taller than Lex, if that were possible.
Lana blushed. “Good day Mr. Kent. Miss Sullivan, may I present Mr. Clark Kent? This is Miss Sullivan.”
Mr. Clark Kent had the good nature to at least know that this was a socially awkward moment, Chloe noted. He bowed a little, “Good day...how do you do?”
Before Chloe could reply Lana started talking again. “Were you able to find The Romance of the Forest?”
“Oh, blast!” Mr. Clark Kent swore.
Chloe blinked, gentlemen did not use that language in front of well-bred ladies!
“I forgot, but I’ll go again tomorrow and I will remember to get it.” Mr. Clark Kent finished.
Lana settled herself in for a little conversation while Chloe frowned inwardly. Really Lana, she thought, I think we can do better than Mr. Clark Kent.
After their conversation with Mr. Clark Kent, Chloe invited Lana back to Sullivan Manor to help her with some embroidery. While they took tea and finished the embroidery she raised the issue of Mr. Whitney Fordman, but not before Lana raised the issue of Mr. Clark Kent.
“May I ask Miss Sullivan,” Lana began shyly. “What did you think of my friend Mr. Clark Kent?”
“Well my dear, he is a nice sort of fellow. What one expects of a farmer.”
Lana bit her lip. “It is true that he is not as gentlemanly as Mr. Alexander Luthor. But...”
“No, there are not hundred men in all the land that have gentleman written so plainly across their features as Mr. Alexander Luthor.”
Chloe said. Not at all to put Mr. Clark Kent down, for it really was true. Lex was the most gentlemanly person she had ever known, so kind, so agreeable, very intelligence, well spoken, and handsome too… “Miss Sullivan?” Lana interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh I’m sorry dear, I drifted. As I was saying, Mr. Alexander Luthor is the a first class gentlemen, not many can compare to...except perhaps...Mr. Whitney Fordman?”
“Perhaps.” Lana mused softly. “But Mr. Clark Kent is very thoughtful.”
“Really,” Chloe asked, “Did he follow your advice and get that book you asked him to read?”
“Well, no.” Lana said.
“Oh well.” Chloe said brightly. “I will tell you though, Mr. Whitney Fordman said something very kind about you the other day.”
Lana’s face brightened. “Really? What?”
“Well,” Chloe began, “It really isn’t my place to intrude upon personal matters, but as your friend I can tell you that I heard him say...”
