Widmerpool takes charge of a drunken Stringham after a reunion dinner, guides him home and, despite resistance, puts him firmly to bed: "Widmerpool, once so derided by all of us, had in some mysterious manner become a person of authority.
The Duchess of Argyll wrote a dinner party guide, pointing out, perhaps unarguably, that: "One of the things duchesses frequently do is entertain".
Or as the dinner menu guide says, "it prevents waste in the field".
Enjoy dinner, a guided boat trip around Roundstone Bay and fly-fishing lessons.
An autumn walking break offers two nights, including dinner and guided coastal walks, at £225 per person (01323 412345, grandeastbourne.co.uk).co.uk
The price of £1,052 per adult and £967 per child (or £492pp without flights; minimum age five), includes flights, B&B accommodation, one dinner, transport and guide.
The fee, around $2,900, does not include your flight to London, but will cover all transportation from there, plus all of your meals (including wine at dinner), accommodations, a guide who specializes in the region's history, a tour manager, field notes and admission to attractions.
At Prasat Preah Vihar, he left behind an ornate hardwood table, off which I eat dinner, with the guide and the driver and the driver's assistants, young men who laugh and chat and greet their friends, souvenir sellers who are packing up and heading back down to their village.
I've seen Laurie David's "Family Dinner," with its guided discussions or conversation starters under the "Table Talk" rubric (now a regular feature on The Huffington Post).
Trips include hiking and biking (among other activities), all meals except one dinner, ground transportation, guides, accommodations in resorts and other upscale lodgings and taxes; (800) 575-1540 or www.austinlehman.com.
