539
Knock, knock, knock!
After several knocks, the butler Walter entered and handed his employer, Dwayne Dantès, the banquet guest list he and the housekeeper Tanya had drawn up.
"Thank you both for your hard work."
Klein took the list and skimmed it, searching the long roster for familiar names: Councilman Macht's family-Miss Hazel had recovered and could participate in social activities-the surgeon Aaron Ceres, who had already earned some recognition in high society, and Madam Mary Short, whose assets amounted to tens of thousands of pounds... The rest were neighbors from the surrounding streets who had invited their new friend Dwayne to balls, dinners, and afternoon tea. Now it was Dwayne's turn to reciprocate.
The invitees were all rich or noble, but only from the perspective of ordinary people and the middle class.
Mr. Dwayne Dantès was still pursuing status and a noble title. He could not secure the attendance of the great nobles.
Most of the names belonged to people he knew, but quite a few unfamiliar names were mixed in as well, such as high-society socialites and connections he would soon need... Their selection had been left to the experienced butler Walter, with help from the meticulous Madam Tanya. Klein felt very reassured about the nearly two hundred pounds he spent on them every year.
To show that Dwayne had read the list carefully, Klein deliberately selected a few names to ask about:
"Who is Mr. Brem Muller?"
Walter answered, "He is a baron who was ennobled by the king five years ago and owns extensive land in East Tuck County. However, his business in the Southern Continent has suffered setbacks in recent years, and he hopes to find more partners. Politically, he leans toward the Conservative Party."
*In other words, a noble looking for mutual assistance...