“How wonderful,” Mrs. Duveen exclaimed, her eyes twinkling. “I adore your father because he was responsible for introducing me to my dashing Stuart years ago. They attended Harvard together and became fast friends, which means you and I are practically family and means you simply must call me Phyllis.”
“While that’s very kind of you to offer, it wouldn’t be proper for me to abandon formality. I’m not in Newport in a guest capacity but rather in Mrs. Parker’s employ for the summer.”
Phyllis’s brows drew together. “Why in the world would you take on any type of position? You’re a Brinley. Granted, your family name is a tad tarnished, what with Pierson falling in love with your delightful mother and then marrying her against your grandparents’ wishes. But Pierson told my Stuart that though his family cast him out after he married Finella, he had access to a substantial trust and has a way with choosing shrewd investments. To this day, he uses my Stuart’s bank to safeguard his fortune. According to Stuart, Pierson is one of the shrewdest and most successful investors in the country.”
Gwendolyn had the sneaking suspicion her evening had just taken a turn for the complicated, which was saying something given the assignment Mrs. Parker expected her to see through to fruition.
“Mrs. Parkerdoesknow who you are, doesn’t she?” Phyllis asked, pulling Gwendolyn straight back to the conversation at hand.
“Not exactly,” Gwendolyn forced herself to admit.
“You didn’t tell her you’re a member of what Boston considers the Scandalous Brinleys?” Phyllis whispered.
“My family history didn’t actually come up during the interview process.”
Phyllis began waving a hand in front of her face. “How unfortunate, because Mrs. Parker is a stickler when it comes to whom she’ll associate with. Granted, you’re not her guest in Newport, but even so, I’m afraid your days in her employ may be numbered if she learns you’re an heiress from a somewhat scandalous family, even though I know your family isn’t actually scandalous.”
She stopped waving and narrowed her eyes. “But again, why are you working for Mrs. Parker in the first place? I know fullwell your father would never cut off any of his children, considering what happened to him back in the day. May I assume you’ve taken up this post for Mrs. Parker as some type of lark, perhaps because of a wager lost amongst friends?”
“And how did you secure a position to begin with?” Adelaide asked before Gwendolyn could answer Phyllis’s questions. “I would think Mrs. Parker needed to see references before she hired you.”
“I have references, and before you ask, no, they weren’t forged. I’ve been a paid companion to Catriona Zimmerman for years.”
Phyllis blinked. “The former opera singer? Good heavens, child, what could you have been thinking, agreeing to work for that woman? I remember Catriona’s reputation when she was singing at the Academy of Music. Rumor had it she was quite demanding.”
“In the spirit of full disclosure, Catriona is my cousin from my mother’s Sullivan side of the family, and yes, she’s incredibly demanding. But when she fell into despair after her husband died, I decided the best remedy for her would be to travel the world. That decision, besides aiding my cousin with her despondency, also allowed me to pursue the unconventional life I’ve always been determined to embrace, one where I’m not bound by the restrictions placed on women of some means. By taking up a paid companion role to my cousin, I was given the freedom that would have escaped me if I’d done what’s expected—marrying as soon as I graduated from the finishing school I attended.”
“An unusual decision to be sure, but...” Phyllis frowned. “Why leave her to take on a position with Mrs. Parker?”
Gwendolyn permitted herself the luxury of a sigh. “Ridiculous as this sounds, I accepted Mrs. Parker’s offer of employment because I was in desperate need of a relaxing summer, one far away from my cousin’s constant demands. Given the tasksMrs. Parker has doled out for me to complete this evening, it’s become crystal clear my summer is not going to be filled with leisure time.”
“Too right it’s not,” Phyllis said, reaching out and taking hold of Gwendolyn’s hand. “Were you unaware that Newport is the least relaxing place in the world during the summer? Our social calendars are filled to the brim, and it’s often difficult to fit in proper amounts of sleep.”
“I’m now well aware of that. But in my defense, during our interview for a paid-companion position, Mrs. Parker told me I wouldn’t be expected to attend many events with her. She said I would mostly be assisting her with correspondence, reading to her while she got ready for events, and perhaps accompanying her every so often out to lunch or to the beach. Unfortunately, after she broke her leg, she insisted I take up the role of assistant matchmaker. She now expects me to attend every social event available, which means my summer is destined to be anything other than tranquil.”
Phyllis’s eyes took on an unusual gleam. “You’re an assistant matchmaker?”
Before Gwendolyn could do more than nod, Adelaide began shaking her head. “Absolutely not.”
Phyllis batted innocent lashes Adelaide’s way. “I’m sure I have no idea why you’re suddenly looking disgruntled. I was merely asking a question.”
“And you’ll content yourself with that single question instead of pressing Miss Brinley to find a match for me. She’s working for Mrs. Parker, who, believing I’m far too peculiar to ever marry, refused to sponsor me a few years back.”
“Perhaps she’s changed her mind about that,” Phyllis argued. “You were, after all, only twenty... ah... something, and it’s a known fact that some ladies, such as yourself, are merely late bloomers.”
Adelaide rolled her eyes. “I have yet to do any blooming,Mother, and even if I would get around to that, society will never find me anything other than odd.”
Gwendolyn frowned. “Why does society find you odd?”
“Because Iamodd,” Adelaide said cheerfully as she smoothed down a frill obscuring her bosom. “But my peculiarity doesn’t bother me. I’m perfectly comfortable with who I am—a bluestocking at heart, who besides loving the written word has a great affection for cats.”
“She has sixteen of them,” Phyllis said.
“Twenty, Mother. You’re forgetting about those kittens I found at Mrs. Gerry’s picnic.”
Phyllis blanched. “You never mentioned a thing about finding any kittens.”
“Must have slipped my mind. But returning to Gwendolyn...” Adelaide quirked a brow Gwendolyn’s way. “You don’t mind if I call you Gwendolyn, do you?”
