The Honourable Mr. Tawnish

Penelope Chester's choice of a suitor sends her father and his two old friends into a state of indignant confusion. Sir John Chester objects to her love for the Honourable Horatio Tawnish, a finely dressed gentleman whose soft voice and polished manners he regards with contempt. Set around Tonbridge, Jeffery Farnol's historical romance is told by Dick, a narrator as ready to defend his own dignity as to tease his companion Bentley. Their wagers, arguments and habitual meetings at The Chequers give the opening a comic rhythm.

Beneath the quarrels over clothes and courtship lies a more serious concern with courage and reputation. The men speak uneasily of Harry Raikes, whose skill with weapons has made him a feared local bully. Penelope, meanwhile, sees through their conflicting explanations of her father's injured foot. Her affectionate confidence gives the story another source of humour, and readers can enjoy the gap between the men's proud judgments and the evidence of their own behaviour.