Harrison grinned. “Too right I am because I’m not used to you taking an interest in my romantic life, or lack thereof. And while Gertrude is a charming lady, one whose company I enjoy immensely, I’m simply not in the market for a wife. I have a business to continue growing and that business demands all of my attention these days.”
Asher, annoying friend that he apparently was, completely ignored Harrison’s protest. “Permilia told me you stumbled in on Gertrude when she was dressed in her unmentionables. If word of that gets out, you do realize you’ll have no choice but to offer the lady the protection of your name, don’t you?”
“How in the world do you imagine word of that incident getting out? It’s not as if we were entertaining a large crowd while she was standing around in her unmentionables. Besides, I barely stepped into the room before I realized it was a place I shouldn’t be, which had me turning directly around and presenting Gertrude with my back.”
Ignoring all that as well, Asher suddenly narrowed his eyes on Harrison before he stuck his hand into his formal evening coat and pulled out another black velvet ribbon from the apparently unending supply he kept on his person. Handing it over to Harrison, he gave a sad shake of his head. “You’re looking the part of a pirate at the moment, which won’t do at all. And, since you evidently lost the first ribbon I gave you, I’m sure you’ll now understand why you need a lady in your life, one who would be capable of keeping you well put together.”
“And you believe Gertrude would be up for that task—the same Gertrude who had orange skin when I first met her and drifts through the city dressed in fashions that are more curious than some I’ve been known to wear?”
Asher’s lips twitched at the very corners. “You’ve actually noticed the curious fashions Gertrude adopts upon occasion?”
Unwilling to address that somewhat telling remark, since he knew full well he was considered a less than observant gentleman, Harrison hitched another smile into place even as he took a moment to tie back his hair with the ribbon Asher had just given him. He couldn’t help but notice as he slipped his fingers through his tangled hair that he did seem to have lost the first ribbon altogether. That was a sad sort of circumstance if there ever was one, and a circumstance that had no doubt happened while he’d been in the midst of one troubling lady event after another.
“Have I ever mentioned how disconcerting I find it when you always seem to have some random item someone needs at the ready?” Harrison asked in a blatant attempt to change the subject. “You’re quite like a magician in that regard, and truth be told, I’ve always found magicians to be a somewhat sketchy lot.”
“Don’t think I haven’t realized you’re trying to distract me from the Gertrude topic, but to address your disconcerting statement, Harrison, I’m the owner of a department store. I’m expected to have random items at my disposal. I’ll have you know that because I’m always in possession of spare handkerchiefs, smelling salts, glue, hair ribbons, and a wide variety of other essentials such as stockings and garters, profits at the store have continued to increase on a steady basis, especially over the past few months.” He smiled. “Customers enjoy knowing a merchant is prepared for any situation, and that right there is exactly why they’ve become so comfortable shopping at Rutherford & Company.”
“While I find myself beyond curious as to why you’d carry around glue, and concerned that you just admitted you often have spare garters on your person, as well as stockings, you must know that your profits have increased lately because you were fortunate enough to convince Permilia to come on board as your vice president. Given that she seems to have an uncanny ability to discover artistic talent in the oddest of places, such as Five Points, your profits are only certain to continue increasing with every new designer she brings to the store, something that should have that merchant heart of yours going pitter-patter. Add in the notion that society has now decided you and Permilia are the most riveting couple of the year, even more riveting than the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Wannamaker, well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t have to resort to hiring on additional staff members in order to control the crowds that are flocking to your store in order to get a glimpse of your riveting faces.”
Asher smiled and leaned on the ship’s railing. “I am a fortunate gentleman, aren’t I?”
Joining him at the railing, Harrison returned the smile. “You are, but before you turn annoyingly poetic again, allow me to point out that the evening is quickly getting away from us. We really should be making our way over to the Manhattan Beach Hotel. Most of the guests, if you’ve neglected to realize, have already departed for the hotel and will be waiting for you, the guest of honor, along with your fiancée.”
“I’m sure all of our guests will be quite comfortable being looked after by the staff at the hotel, which are rumored to be exceptional in their execution of their various duties. Having said that, I can’t leave the ship yet. Permilia went to check on Gertrude’s progress and hasn’t returned.”
Harrison opened his mouth with an offer to track down Permilia and Gertrude on the tip of his tongue when the sound of laughter suddenly rang out across the deck. Turning from the railing, his attention was captured by the sight of Gertrude walking toward him. She was laughing at something Edwina was saying and had her arm entwined with Edwina’s, quite as if she’d known his sister for years. On Gertrude’s other side were Permilia and Temperance Flowerdew, both of whom were laughing as well. What they were laughing about, though, Harrison had no idea, because an odd buzzing noise had settled in his ears, making it difficult to hear.
The only idea he seemed to have left in his head was that Gertrude, now wearing a rather fine dress of palest blue, or at least he thought it was blue, was looking very delightful indeed.
Tilting his head, he considered her closely, unable to help but wonder if she was looking so delightful to him because she’d done something different with her hair. It was no longer parted into two buns anchored directly over her ears, but was now drawn up in a knot on top of her head, with little wispy bits of golden curls tumbling out of that knot that were caressing what he just then noticed were very delightful-looking cheeks.
As the most curious feeling began churning through him, Harrison found himself rooted to the spot, wondering if his captivation with Gertrude was some odd result of Asher suggesting he should consider viewing her in a more romantic light.
His pondering on the subject was interrupted when Asher took hold of his arm and began prodding Harrison forward in a somewhat determined fashion.
“And so it begins,” Asher said with a distinct trace of amusement in his voice.
“So what begins?” Harrison managed to get out of a mouth that was now unusually dry.
“Your transition into a poet, of course.”
With that, Asher released a bit of a laugh and increased their pace, ushering Harrison straight in Gertrude’s direction.
Chapter
Eight
Dashing at eyes that were watering due to the laughter she was sharing with her friends, Gertrude lifted her head and found Harrison standing a few feet away from her, the sight of him causing her to swallow the laugh she’d been about to release.
It wasn’t that she’d lost the ability to laugh because she was faced with a most dashing gentleman—because there was no question that Harrison aptly fit that description. Having spent so much time in his company over the past few months, she’d grown accustomed to his appearance, but what did have her slowing her steps, and then coming to a complete stop, was the manner in which he was watching her.
There was something curious in his eyes, something she couldn’t quite put a finger on, but it almost seemed as if he’d taken to watching her as if he’d never seen her before in his life.
Truth be told, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was considering her so closely to discern whether she had the look of a thief about her, or wondering when she was planning to make off with the prized painting hanging in the library, an idea she knew Clementine had planted in his head.
As her cheeks began heating, even with a sea breeze sending its cooling mist over her face, Gertrude squared her shoulders and tried to sort through thoughts that had taken to jumbling every which way. She wasn’t certain what she should say, but a hushed atmosphere was now settled over the small group assembled on the deck, broken only by an occasional clearing of a throat coming from Asher that, oddly enough, seemed to be tinged with a hint of amusement.
Lifting her chin, Gertrude managed to get an impressive “Ah...” out of her mouth, but then found no other words seemed to want to follow, which left her floundering again.
