maidenless

The joys of horse and rattling, rich reward for boyhood toil, bucking cart, riding high on the hay, your father pacing at the rein; a tiny returning champion, skin like leather; all now squared into an oil fairytale to perch in maidenless parlours and picturesque postcards who know nothing of you.

Philip had sulkily allowed himself to be dragged into it, and had perched disconsolately in one corner of the group among other maidenless youths.