She certainly wouldn’t have been discovered standing in a private library garbed in her unmentionables, nor would she have then taken to leaping over a couch where she’d promptly become stuck due to the fact that her figure was not what anyone could call svelte.
Blowing out a breath, Gertrude dropped her head and folded her hands in her lap, stilling when she realized she was considering lifting up a prayer request, one that revolved around asking God to send her a small dollop of sophistication.
The absurdity of such a prayer sent additional heat to her cheeks.
God, she was fairly certain, had far more important matters to attend to other than to grant her the ridiculous request of becoming sophisticated, especially since she truly only wanted to become sophisticated in order to impress Harrison.
Given that Harrison was a gentleman who did not notice the interest ofthemost fashionable and sophisticated sort, her prayer was ludicrous. Besides, considering her relationship with God had certainly suffered ever since her mother died, a circumstance she took full responsibility for, He was hardly likely to bestow any amount of grace on her, let alone answer a frivolous prayer.
Annoyance with herself had her abandoning her chair and walking over to the bookcase, hoping to find a distraction from her disturbing thoughts. She pulled out a leather-bound book about sea routes, flipped to the first page, and began reading, pausing when a knock sounded on the closed door.
Lifting her head as the door began to open, Gertrude blinked when what could only be described as a whirlwind entered the room. Replacing the book, she watched one of the most beautiful ladies she’d ever seen in her life breeze across the library in her direction, dragging a large satchel behind her with one hand and holding a bowl of something in the other.
Gertrude was hardly put at ease when the lady stopped directly in front of her and held out the bowl—one that was filled to the brim withbutter.
Accepting the butter because she couldn’t think of a good reason not to, Gertrude’s lips curved as the lady dropped the handle of the satchel to the floor and smiled Gertrude’s way.
“Ah, Gertrude, what a clever lady you seem to be, getting yourself unstuck from a situation I was led to believe was nothing less than dire. We’ll have no need for the wrench Harrison told me to fetch after all.” The lady fished a wrench out of the bodice of her lovely blue traveling gown and tossed it in the direction of the fainting couch before she turned back to Gertrude and immediately began looking her up and down. “My brother wasn’t exaggerating your current dilemma, though. You do seem to have taken leave of your clothing, and while I applaud your resourcefulness with a plot that appears to be downright ingenious, do know that the other members of my family might not be as approving as I am about that plot.”
Gertrude tightened her grip on the bowl of butter. “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Miss...?”
The young lady blinked, then shoved aside a raven-black curl that was obscuring part of her face, revealing features that suggested she might very well be one of Harrison’s sisters. “Oh, do forgive me. I’m Edwina Sinclair, of course, and you’re Miss Gertrude Cadwalader, a verydearfriend of my brother’s if I’m not much mistaken.” Her smile dimmed. “But good heavens, I’m sure I’ve taken you completely aback by calling you Gertrude when I first entered the room, although it does seem rather silly to call you anything else, especially since I have every hope that you and I will someday be related. However, according to the etiquette books I’ve been gobbling up of late, young ladies of the proper kind are not supposed to address each other informally, not until they’ve gotten permission to do so, that is.”
Finding herself charmed by the very earnest Miss Edwina Sinclair, Gertrude set aside the bowl of butter. “While I’m not exactly sure how we’d come to be related, do feel free to use my given name. Your brother and I do share a friendship, and because of that, it does seem silly for us to adopt a formal attitude.”
Edwina clapped her hands together. “Ah, how lovely, and you must call me Edwina. I knew you and I were destined to become fast friends, and I feel as if we’re friends already since my brother has spoken so highly of you and on a frequent basis at that.” She sent Gertrude a wink. “As for the matter about how we’ll be related, should I assume you’re simply being coy until an announcement is made—one that I’m certain will be made soon now that my brother has apparently spent time in your company while you’ve been less than appropriately dressed?”
Gertrude frowned. “I fear you’re under a grave misimpression, Edwina. Harrison did not spend any significant time in this library with me, having merely stepped into the room before stepping directly out of it again.”
Edwina’s forehead furrowed. “It wasn’t intentional, having Harrison discover you in your unmentionables?”
Gertrude’s forehead took to furrowing as well. “I should say not.”
“And here I thought you’d decided to take matters into your own hands, hastening my brother’s decision to marry you, but no matter.” She sent Gertrude another wink. “With my help, you mark my words, you’ll be married to Harrison before the summer has a chance to end.”
“Ah ... well ... ah...”
“Save your appreciation until you’re about to walk down the aisle,” Edwina interrupted, although it wasn’t much of an interruption since Gertrude couldn’t think of anything else to say. “We have important business to attend to, that being getting you into tip-top shape.” She turned on her heel and marched back to the door, reappearing a moment later, towing none other than Temperance Flowerdew, Clementine’s distant cousin, beside her.
“Temperance has agreed to help me get you more presentable,” Edwina said as she pulled Temperance across the library. “Although I’m not certain why she was lingering out in the hallway. She, from what little conversation we’ve shared while fetching you some clothing, and the butter of course, lent me the impression the two of you are friends.”
Temperance shot a look to Gertrude even as her lips twitched. “I was lingering outside to allow you an opportunity to become acquainted with Edwina. I assumed my presence would only add confusion to what was certainly going to be an unusual introduction, and I do believe I was quite right about that.” She nodded to the garments that were cascading over her arms. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, shall we get you properly dressed once and for all?”
Before Gertrude could respond, Edwina let out a ripple of laughter. “My introduction to Gertrude pales in comparison to the introduction you and I shared, Temperance—what with all that yelling that was taking place at the time.” She turned to Gertrude. “Temperance and I decided we needed to quit the wheelhouse lickety-split when some heated words began to fly.” She gave a sad shake of her head. “Poor Temperance was looking quite like a deer caught in the coach lights when her cousin, a dreadful woman if I’ve ever met one, burst into the wheelhouse, dragging poor Temperance along with her. That dreadful woman then threw herself into the argument Mrs. Davenport was engaged in with my sister Margaret, adding a great deal of drama to a situation that was rapidly turning concerning.”
Glancing to Temperance, who, in Gertrude’s opinion, was once again looking exactly like a deer caught in the coach lights, she turned back to Edwina. “I’m sorry, but did you just say that Mrs. Davenport was engaged in an argument with your sister?”
“Indeed, and it was a juicy argument at that, one with all manner of accusations being thrown around, most of them having to do with some type of skullduggery being perpetuated on board this very yacht.”
Chapter
Six
With her legs turning ever so wobbly due to the troubling information Edwina had disclosed, Gertrude moved back to her chair and sat down. “Should I ask what manner of skullduggery Mrs. Davenport was being accused of, and...” She frowned. “Why in the world would Clementine throw herself willingly into an argument between two ladies I don’t believe she’s overly familiar with, and why would she have gone into the wheelhouse in the first place?”
“While this is embarrassing for me to admit,” Temperance began as Edwina looked over the gowns she was carrying, “I fear Clementine was lying in wait for Harrison on the aft deck, and after she saw him disappear into the wheelhouse, there was no stopping her from following him.” Temperance shook her head. “She insisted I accompany her, and I must tell you now, Gertrude, my cousin seems most put out with you. She kept muttering something about not gaining your cooperation, which might have been the incentive behind her making some ridiculous claim about you and a painting Clementine apparently saw you admiring.”
Pulling a dress from Temperance’s arms, Edwina held it up, eyeing it even as she nodded. “From what little I was able to gather, Clementine was trying to suggest you were contemplating making off with the painting hanging in this very room, but I’m afraid I don’t know what happened after that since everyone started shouting and Temperance and I decided to hightail it right out of there.” Holding out the dress, she walked toward Gertrude. “Luckily for you, Harrison had already told me about your unfortunate predicament, which gave me a reasonable excuse to leave the wheelhouse when events began turning tricky. I’m still a little confused about why Mrs. Davenport shouted that bit about you needing some butter, but...” She changed directions, set the dress she was holding on a chair, bent over to the satchel, rummaged around in it, then pulled out what appeared to be a loaf of bread wrapped in cloth. Gliding over to Gertrude, she handed her the bread.
