“Excellent you were present today, Mr. Townsend,” another gentleman called.
“Is Miss Brinley alright?” Mrs. Parker shouted, catching Gwendolyn’s attention as well as a narrowing of an eye, something Mrs. Parker responded to by sending Gwendolyn a cheeky wink.
“That woman is a menace,” she muttered.
Clarence stopped walking. “You really weren’t in danger of drowning, were you?”
“I was only in danger of drowning after you and Mr. Townsend got ahold of me, Mr. Higgenson.”
“Please, call me Clarence. Formality seems somewhat absurd at this point.”
“And you must call me Walter as well,” Walter added.
She shoved a strand of dripping hair out of her eyes. “This is a very curious moment to be having this conversation, but fine. Since the two of you did almost drown me, I suppose it’s ridiculous to continue with expected decorum. You may both call me Gwendolyn, but you may not, as in ever, try to rescue me from drowning again.”
“But what if you’re actually drowning?” Clarence asked.
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Perfectly understandable,” Clarence said with a grin. “But since Walter and I seem to have been misled about the situation, would you like us to apprise the crowd still applauding us that we’re not heroes?”
Gwendolyn returned the grin. “I would hate to deprive either of you of your accolades, because you did have the best of intentions, even if you’d been misled by Mrs. Parker.” She leaned closer to Clarence. “However, because I’m willing to assume the unlikely role of damsel who was rescued from her distress to allow you your accolades, Iwillask for something from you in return.”
Wariness flickered through Clarence’s eyes. “And that would be?”
“Don’t start looking concerned,” Gwendolyn said, shoving another strand of soggy hair out of her eyes. “I merely need fifteen minutes of your time, at which point we’re going to have a dialogue about Miss Hannah Howe, whom, I understand, you’re interested in becoming better acquainted with.”
“I doubt it’ll take an entire fifteen minutes for me to explain my interest in Miss Howe,” Clarence countered. “We should be able to complete our discussion in five, which will then allowme to keep a scheduled appointment I have with a ... ah ... friend.”
Gwendolyn arched a brow. “Mrs. Lanier, I presume?”
He blanched. “You know Mrs. Lanier?”
“Not personally, but rumors have reached me about the two of you, which is why I’ll need fifteen minutes.” She nodded to a boulder jutting out beside the famous Cliff Walk that wound its way along the ocean, lending walkers an unparalleled view of the sea. “We can repair over there after we dry off. It’ll allow us privacy.”
Trepidation replaced the wariness in Clarence’s eyes. “We need privacy?”
“Indeed.”
Walter cleared his throat. “Since I may need some privacy as well, I’ll join you.”
“Absolutely not. That would defeat the purpose of my having aprivatechat with Clarence,” Gwendolyn argued.
Walter nodded to something in the distance. “Perhaps, but surely you’re not so cruel as to deny me an excuse to avoid all that, especially when it’s your fault I’ve been placed in such an unusual spot to begin with.”
Turning, Gwendolyn discovered a gathering of at least twenty ladies, many of whom were gesturing for Walter to join them. She caught Walter’s eye. “Don’t be such a coward. They’re merely young ladies who want to speak with you, which will then allow you to get to know them better and perhaps find a suitable candidate to become the next Mrs. Townsend.”
“I daresay any gentleman would be hesitant to find himself confronted with that many ladies at one time.”
She pulled a piece of seaweed from her sleeve. “You’re going to have to pluck up your courage at some point if you want to survive the summer with your nerves intact. But you did try to save me from a drowning, even though I didn’t need saving. I suppose, because of that, I could intercede a little on your behalfso you don’t find yourself inundated with admirers while I speak with Clarence.”
After telling Clarence she’d meet up with him directly, Gwendolyn headed across the beach, her sights on the ladies still aiming their attention Walter’s way. Stopping when she was a few feet away from them, she summoned up a smile and directed it all around, her smile dimming when she noticed Tillie Wickham dividing her attention between Walter and an ocean now roiling with waves.
One look at the glint in Tillie’s eyes was all Gwendolyn needed to know exactly what that lady was considering, and frankly, she wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the other more adventurous ladies were considering the same thing.
“While I know it must be tempting for some of you to follow suit and fling yourself into the Atlantic, hoping for a dramatic rescue from whatever gentleman you’ve set your eye on,” Gwendolyn began, earning startled looks, paired with quite a few guilty ones, “there’s a storm brewing, which means the ocean is the last place any of you should try out a would-be drowning.
“Besides, I’ve already done that today, so you might want to think up something more original. And...” She turned and nodded Walter’s way. “He’d never tell you this, because he’s a gentleman and would never care to hurt any feelings, but you’re overwhelming Mr. Townsend with your attention today. If you want to make a positive impression, I suggest you extend the man some breathing room and limit how many of you approach him at any given time.”
