Penny, standing with her uncle and nibbling at her food, manages to give the completely false impression that she is happy to be at the luncheon, something honed from many a party hosted by her parents' whilst she was growing up, as well as the knowledge of etiquette in entirely another area, gained during the course.
Her uncle, who has the same skills, fidgets irritably, due to his distaste for this kind of affair and his unwillingness to hide it.
Penny (sounding annoyed)
Uncle, please.
Perseus (sounding contrite)
Sorry, Pen. It's just that, this is the kind of thing I left the family to get away from. I'll behave. Cross my heart.
To Penny's relief, her uncle behaves himself from then on, charming the people at the luncheon.
One of those people is Bear, who approaches the two of them sometime towards the end of the luncheon.
Penny (to her uncle)
Uncle, this is Dmitri Feodorovich Karapyetchenko, his nickname is 'Bear'
Penny (to Bear)
Bear, this is my uncle Perseus.
Bear (inclining his head)
I'm pleased to meet you, Mr Drake
Perseus (laughing)
Just call me Perseus. Being called 'mister' makes me feel old.
Bear (grinning)
Perseus, then. I came over to ask your niece if she'd save a dance for me at the ball.
Penny smiles.
Penny
I'd be happy too.
Bear smiles back and, thanking her, heads away to mingle with the rest of the people around them.
Penny, diverted by this exchanged, is soon bored again, and she is happy to hear the signal ending the luncheon.