“I do,” Cordelia returned with a smile of her own.
Priscilla got up and scooted herself in between Walter and Cordelia, placing her little hand on Cordelia’s skirt. “And you don’t take her out much?”
“I’m afraid I don’t, because as I mentioned, she’s not very fast.”
Priscilla tilted her head. “I’m only five, and my grandmothers wouldn’t allow me to ride a pony that’s too fast.”
“Would you like to come visit me sometime and ride Daisy?” Cordelia asked.
“It would be better if you just gave her to me.”
A crease settled on Cordelia’s forehead. “Gave her to you?”
Priscilla’s smile turned more angelic than ever. “I would take very good care of her, and she’d have a friend because some other lady gave us a pony yesterday, but it’s a boy pony and I wanted a girl.”
Cordelia swallowed, then shot Gwendolyn a look that clearly begged for assistance. When Gwendolyn merely arched a brow in return, Cordelia blew out a breath and returned her attention to Priscilla, who looked quite like a cat who’d just discovered a bowl filled with cream. “I imagine Daisy might enjoy a new home that would see her receiving more attention, even though I’m rather attached to her.”
Walter glanced to Ethel and Matilda and found them with their heads bent together as they riffled through a hymnal, apparently trying to find the hymn Mrs. Wailing, who’d been playing the piano nonstop as the service continued to be delayed, had launched into.
Realizing it was going to be up to him to handle yet another incident where one of his children was behaving badly—and before Priscilla tried to cajole Cordelia’s pony cart along with her pony from her—he caught Cordelia’s eye. “Forgive me, Miss Lowe, for I fear my daughter has abandoned any semblanceof the manners she’s been taught. You will certainly not relinquish your pony to Priscilla.”
He settled his gaze on his daughter. “And you, Priscilla, will now extend Miss Lowe a sincere apology for trying to wheedle her pony away from her in the first place.”
It was hardly an encouraging sign when storm clouds immediately began brewing in Priscilla’s eyes.
Seventeen
Bracing himself for the havoc certain to come, Walter rose to his feet and moved to whisk Priscilla out of the church before she released the fury settled in her eyes, but she suddenly jumped up and scrambled past him, launching herself into Gwendolyn’s lap.
Gwendolyn didn’t miss a beat and simply pulled Priscilla close, handed her the rag doll, then whispered something to her that had Priscilla’s little shoulders sagging for just a second before she lifted her head and turned to Cordelia.
“I’m very sorry for wanting your pony,” Priscilla said, her tiny lips trembling before she buried her face in the folds of Gwendolyn’s dress right as Reverend Eberhard finally appeared on the raised pulpit.
“What in the world did you say to her?” Walter asked as he retook his seat.
Priscilla peeped over at him before Gwendolyn could respond. “She told me to ’member what she said about God expecting me to behave in His house.” She gave a rather theatrical shudder. “I don’t want a lightning bolt to find me, so I’m going to stay right here in Miss Brinley’s lap.”
Suppressing a grin, Walter watched as Priscilla buried herhead against Gwendolyn again before he settled his attention on Reverend Eberhard, who had spread his arms wide as he gazed over his congregation.
“How wonderful to see so many pews filled this morning,” Reverend Eberhard began. “Forgive me for the delayed start. I’m afraid it was unavoidable because I felt called to change the sermon I was going to preach today. My original intention was to speak on Proverbs 31:9, which reads, ‘Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.’ However, I felt pulled to speak on a different Scripture passage. I will, however, say one thing about Proverbs 31:9. As most of you remember, I frequently feel compelled to remind all of you who repair to Newport for the summer, given the many financial blessings most of you have received, that it’s your responsibility to look after those less fortunate.”
Reverend Eberhard took a moment to gaze out at his congregation again, smiling and nodding to the gentlemen in the audience, Walter being one of them, along with Mr. Thurman Chandler, Mr. Russell Damrosch, and then Mr. Clarence Higgenson, who was sitting beside Mrs. Lanier in the Higgenson family pew, empty except for the two of them. The rest of the Higgensons were apparently unwilling to accept Clarence’s decision to become engaged to a divorced woman.
Reverend Eberhard then returned to his notes, lifted his head, and smiled once again. “Let us begin the service today with prayer.”
Saying a quick prayer of his own that his children wouldn’t decide to take that particular moment to turn disruptive, he glanced to the twins and saw Gwendolyn showing Priscilla and Samuel how to fold their hands properly. The twins didn’t release so much as a whisper of dissent while the opening prayer was said, although they both gave a rousing “Amen” at the end, which earned them a grin from Gwendolyn in return.
Silence settled over the congregation as Reverend Eberhardopened the Bible lying on the lectern, consulted it for a moment, then lifted his head. “As I mentioned, I felt called to speak on a different topic today, and whenever I feel called to act, I know I’m being sent a message God wants me to deliver. Today I’m going to speak on James 3:16. For those of you who do not have your Bibles open, that verse says, ‘For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.’”
Reverend Eberhard stepped around the pulpit and folded his hands in front of him, his gaze once again traveling over the congregation but this time lingering, or so it seemed, on the ladies in attendance instead of the gentlemen.
“It came to my attention early this morning that there seems to be an issue with appropriate behavior this Season in Newport,” he said. “From what I understand, more than a few of our own seem to have forgotten some of Christ’s most important teachings, specifically the one revolving around His commandment that we are to love our neighbor.
“To be clear,” Reverend Eberhard continued, “love does not entail abusing an opponent during a friendly sports game, nor does loving one’s neighbor ever consist of peculiar incidents where beverages spill out of their respective containers and land on unwitting victims.” He stepped behind the lectern again. “I’ve also been apprised that shoving has been witnessed at more than a few events, sharp elbows delivered to the ribs of unsuspecting ladies in an effort to jockey into a better position when eligible gentlemen are out and about.”
He shook his head. “It is my belief this questionable behavior is a direct result of jealousy, as well as greed, brought about from a desire to obtain the most advantageous unions. Jealousy is a dangerous creature, my friends, and can burrow into our souls and turn us hateful and bitter, unable to experience the simple joys of life. From where I stand, it’s evident that jealousy is turning friend against friend this Season, and life without friends is joyless indeed.”
Reverend Eberhard consulted his notes again. “As you of marriageable age traverse through the Newport Season, I encourage you to abandon the custom of choosing a matrimonial partner based solely on the size of their fortune or status within society. Each of you should strive to secure marriages of love and affection, setting aside any temptation to marry simply because of the lure of materialistic possessions and higher rank amongst the socially elite.”
