“Since I’ve never observed you spending much time, if any, in Mrs. Davenport’s company, I’m not surprised,” Permilia replied sweetly. “But, enough about that. I don’t believe you ever answered my question regarding what you’re doing down here. I would have thought you’d want to spend your evening topside, enjoying the festivities along with the other guests, one of whom, if you’ve forgotten, is your delightful cousin, Miss Temperance Flowerdew.”
Pursing her lips, Miss Flowerdew settled back into the chair. “Temperance and I rarely spend time together at events unless I have need of her assistance. She’s more of a chaperone to me than a relative. If you weren’t aware of this, she’s my very distant cousin, and we’re hardly on friendly terms with each other.”
Pursing her lips right back at Miss Flowerdew, Permilia tilted her head. “Cousin or not, she still saw fit to bring you tonight as her guest. That was incredibly generous of her, particularly since you and I know you would not have been as generous toward her if you’d received my invitation to this celebration instead of Temperance.”
“Since you’re evidently trying to get me to leave the library, Miss Griswold, what with your veiled insults that I assure you I’ve noted, I’ll return topside before words are passed between us that I’m sure we’ll both regret.” Rising to her feet, Miss Flowerdew began marching across the room, turning when she reached the door to catch Gertrude’s eye. “Do say that you’ve come to your senses and are willing to assist me with that little matter we were discussing before Miss Griswold interrupted us.”
Gertrude frowned. “Since you’ve yet to assistme, Miss Flowerdew, and I’m clearly still in need of assistance, I don’t understand why you still believe I oweyoua favor.”
“If you want me to remain silent about that painting hanging over your head, then yes, you do owe me a favor.”
“You know full well I was never intending to make off with it.”
“So you say.” With that, Miss Flowerdew turned abruptly and vanished through the doorway.
“What in the world was that all about?”
Gertrude groaned. “She wants me to introduce her to Harrison.”
“She was introduced to Harrison, along with everyone else I might add, when she boarded the ship.”
“True, but she wants to beintroducedto him, if you know what I mean.”
Permilia shook her head. “Ah, of course she does, but ... was she threatening to blackmail you with a ridiculous story about you trying to steal a painting?”
“She was.”
Permilia leaned forward. “You weren’t trying toreturnthe painting to the wall and she walked in on you in the process, were you?”
“No, although I have almost been caught doing exactly that before—not that I was the one responsible for taking the painting in question, although...” Gertrude stopped talking and frowned. “How long have you known about my curious habit of returning items to their proper places?”
“I spent two years as an anonymous society columnist. That means I know what most people in society are up to, including Mrs. Davenport, so I’ve had my suspicions about your curious habit for quite some time now.” Her eyes suddenly sharpened on Gertrude as she leaned forward. “Forgive me for not inquiring about this before, but is there a reason why you’re lounging on that couch in a way that appears to be less than comfortable?”
“I’m stuck.”
“Honestly, Gertrude, you should have said so straightaway.” Rising to her feet, Permilia was soon standing right beside the couch, her brows drawn together as she looked Gertrude up and down. “It’s the bustle, isn’t it?”
“It broke when I lost my balance after I was checking behind the couch to see if Mrs. Davenport was hiding there.”
“You really are going to have to have a stern talk with your employer, Gertrude, because her antics are beginning to take a turn for the concerning, and I’m not simply talking about her less than legal pursuits at society events. Making you wear a bustle the size of which I’ve never imagined is hazardous to your health.”
Gertrude sighed. “I’ve been meaning to sit down with her for months to discuss her increasingly peculiar behavior, although I keep putting it off because she’s a lady far more fragile than the woman she presents to the world. She suffers from acute melancholy, but curiously enough, that melancholy seems to be held at bay when she’s creating her peculiar designs. She takes immense pleasure in turning out one new fashion after another. And having to wear her peculiar creations seems a small price to pay to see her happy, even if some of those creations are less than safe or comfortable to wear.”
“How uncomfortableisthat bustle you’re wearing?”
“I would have to say extremely uncomfortable since numerous wires have come undone and are digging into my skin.”
“Then I say further discussions of your employer must wait until we get you more comfortable.” With that, Permilia bent over and began moving yards of fabric out of the way, her lips twitching with every yard of fabric she shoved aside. “How have you even been able to walk with all this wrapped around you?”
“It has not been without difficulty, but do have a care before you try to tug me free. I don’t want to ruin Harrison’s couch.”
“Harrison would not want you to remain in such an uncomfortable situation simply because of his couch. He considers you a friend, which means he, if he were present, would encourage me to do whatever it takes to set you free, no matter the damage that might occur to the upholstery in the process.”
“Speaking of my friendship with Harrison, Miss Flowerdew mentioned that society has taken to remarking on that.”
Permilia looked up. “I’m afraid Miss Flowerdew is right. I’ve had numerous young ladies approach me at the store of late to inquire about Harrison, now that they all seem to be arriving home from Paris and are stopping in the city to run a few errands before they travel to their summer homes. They’ve also been asking me about you, which means...”
“Ladies are going to become annoyingly friendly toward me in order to get closer to Harrison,” Gertrude finished for her.
