Pride And Prejudice

5

The butler knocked on the door to inform him that breakfast would be served in five minutes. Louis glanced at his sister but she was sound asleep so he decided to leave her for a moment to get something to eat. When he entered the breakfast room Mr. Horan and Mr. Styles were already seated.
"Good morning." Louis greeted.

"Good morning. How's your sister?" Mr. Styles wondered.

Louis looked at him in surprise. He hadn't expected him to talk to him.
"Better I think. The fever has gone down. She's still sleeping."

"I make sure to send the doctor to check on her again." Mr. Horan smiled, seemingly relieved.

"I appreciate it, Mr. Horan." Louis smiled and took a seat.

"Please call me Niall."

"Only if you call me Louis." Louis grinned.

Mr. Styles kept quiet so Louis guessed that he had no intention to offer them to be on a first-name basis. That worked for him.
"Thank you again, Niall, for taking such good care of Lottie. I promise that we won't take advantage of your kindness. I will bring Lottie home as soon as she wakes up."

"No hurries. We have to make sure that Miss Tomlinson is healthy first and you're both more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. That's no trouble at all." Niall smiled.

"You're a good man, Niall." Louis smiled.

The doctor arrived after breakfast and he only had positive feedback regarding Lottie's health. Niall insisted that they would stay one more day and Louis accepted graciously. He wrote a note to his mother telling her not to worry and Mr. Horan made sure she received it.

Lottie woke up at lunch and Niall made sure that she got a strengthening soup to eat in bed. Louis kept her company. She was too tired to talk but at least she ate the soup before she fell back to sleep. Louis took the opportunity to get some rest as well in the guestroom Niall had set up for him.

In the afternoon Lottie was strong enough to join them at the dinner table. She was a little pale but fever-free and glad to be up walking. She apologized sincerely for causing so much trouble but Niall assured her that it was no trouble at all. Louis watched them interact. It was clear that Niall was very fond of his sister and that the feeling was mutual even if Charlotte did a better job at hiding it. Knowing his sister by heart he knew that she was just being shy.

He wasn't the only one inspecting them. Mr. Styles seemed very attentive regarding the two of them.
"So Harry, how is your sister? How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much." Niall said.

Louis was surprised to hear that Mr. Styles had a sister, even more when his features immediately softened and he spoke with such fondness.
"Gemma is doing well. She's a very accomplished young woman."

"Indeed." Niall agreed.

Charlotte was looking between them. Louis assumed that hearing Mr. Horan compliment Mr. Styles' sister made her insecure.
"I for one are very impressed with women today, especially my sisters."

"A wonderful family indeed." Niall immediately replied and smiled at Lottie who blushed.

Your humility, Niall, must disarm reproof." Louis smiled.

To his surprise, Mr. Styles answered.
"Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast."

"I believe humility is a very real and a very important character trait." Louis replied sassily.

"And do you, Mr. Tomlinson consider yourself a fair judge of character?" Mr. Styles questioned.

"I would like to think so, yes." Louis replied.

"I see." Mr. Styles smirked and that was the end of that conversation apparently.

After dinner, they sat down to play some cards while drinking a cup of tea. They had quite a joyous time until Lottie started to yawn and asked if she could be excused and go to bed early. Louis followed her example since he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Mr. Horan assured them that it was more than alright and Mr. Styles just mumbled a "good night."

Lottie stopped in the doorway.
"Mr. Styles is a very intriguing man, wouldn't you say, Louis?"

Louis snorted.
"I don't think highly of him."

Lottie just smiled and gave him a hug good night before she entered her room. Louis got ready for the night and fell asleep as soon as he was situated in the comfortable bed.

After breakfast the next morning Louis announced that it was time for them to return home. Niall seemed disappointed and he made sure to thank him for his hospitality once more.
"Oh, we have loved the company, isn't that so, Harry?" Niall replied.

"Absolutely." Mr. Styles replied and Louis had to withhold a peal of laughter that threatened to burst out. Mr. Styles looked anything but delighted.

Mr. Horan suggested that they would walk them home and Lottie immediately agreed. Louis thought it was an excellent idea since it would give his sister more time in Niall's company. Louis packed his bag and they headed out. Niall was in a particularly good mood and took jokes that made both Lottie and Louis laugh while Mr. Styles didn't as much as blink.
"Oh lighten up Harry. Don't pretend to be humorless. I know better." Niall said.

"Oh, Mr. Styles would never anticipate in such foolish manner. It would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintances. I dearly love a laugh." Louis couldn't help but tease.

"I may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke." Harry replied dryly.

"I hope I never ridicule what is wise and good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies, do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without." Louis replied wittily.

"Perhaps that is not possible for anyone. But it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Such as vanity and pride." Louis pointed out.

"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride-where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation." Harry said and Louis smiled at that statement.

"How interesting this conversation might be I'll have to inform you that we have arrived at your house." Niall announced.

Louis had been too engaged in the conversation to notice. He turned to Niall.
"It's been a pleasure at always, Niall. On the behalf of my mother, I invite you both to dinner to show our gratitude for taking such good care of Lottie."

"Send my love to your mother and we're would be delighted to dine at your resident." Niall replied.

"Farewell Mr. Styles." Louis smiled.

"Mr. Tomlinson." Harry replied with a bow.

Their family rushed to greet them as soon as they entered the house. They had been missed.