Mati and Rory

Time to write!

Matilda and Gregory were best friends, and were, as most boy-girl best friends turn out to be, at least slightly in love with one another. Of course, nothing could be so simple as to allow them to merely court and then have an eventual happy marriage. For, as is so often the case, Gregory was not of the same social class as Matilda. And, in keeping with the cliche, Matilda was in fact the daughter of an important town official who would never dream of giving up his only daughter to a cobbler's apprentice of unknown origin.

Matilda had become Gregory's friend partly because they were of such different social statuses. As a Counselman's daughter, she found herself attending many different parties, conventions, and other social events. At each of these events it was the expectation that she would be dressed fabulously and shoes were no exception. Her father's wealth meant that Matilda rarely had to leave the manor where she lived, so when she was to have new shoes made, or old shoes mended, or a certain pair of shoes slightly changed and dyed another color to match a new dress, the cobbler and his apprentice would pay her a call at home.

Gregory and Matilda had been nine and eight years old, respectively, the first time they'd met. At this time, Gregory, an orphan who had already spent many years learning his place, had an acute awareness of the class difference between them, but Matilda was ignorant of any such differentiation between them. After being greeted by the cobbler, Max Stuffins, she'd dropped him a quick curtsy then said, "My name's Matilda, but I like Mati. Who are you?"
"Gregory, Miss Matilda," Gregory had murmured shyly.
"No, I don't like Gregory at all." Matilda had stated, shaking her head. "That sounds like a butler's name."
"Is there another name that would please you, Miss Matilda?" Gregory asked, a little taken aback.
"Rory. It's like Gregory, but much nicer." The way Matilda said it was very matter of fact. She continued, "And I think we shall be great friends."
When Matilda Merriworth declared something, it almost always was so. And so Mati and Rory were great friends. It was that way, because she thought it should be.

oh the suspense...?