“If I may have everyone’s attention, please?” Gwendolyn suddenly called out. “We’re about to begin a game called Annie Over, but I’d like everyone to know it’s not a game simply for the children—any adults wanting to join in are welcome. With that said, we’ll need an even number of players on either side of the playing field.”
It came as no surprise when Adelaide was the first to take her place on the opposite side of the hedge from where Gwendolyn was standing, joined by Gideon Abbott, who positioned himself next to Adelaide, which was interesting because Gideon wasn’t a gentleman who enjoyed participating in society’s unusual pastimes.
Russell Damrosch then took up a spot next to Oscar, joined by Tillie Wickham. Frances Bottleworth and E.J. Boettcher took their places next, while Suzette Tilden, accompanied by Thurman Chandler, went to stand beside Samuel, who’d given Rat over for safekeeping to a waiting footman. August and Hannah were the next to join the game, August choosing to stand beside Russell, while Hannah went to stand on the other side of Oscar as a dozen other children scrambled to take their places.
“We still have some open spots,” Gwendolyn called, directing her attention to where a few ladies were gathered, crossing her arms over her chest when every lady seemed to make a point of avoiding eye contact with her.
“Shall we?” Ethel said, tugging Walter into motion, then stopping when they encountered Cordelia Lowe lingering on the sidelines. “Care to join us, dear?” she asked.
Cordelia’s brow puckered. “No, thank you. I’m clearly not dressed to participate in a children’s game. I’m wearing Worth, and Charles Worth never meant for his creations to withstand anything more strenuous than dancing.”
Ethel gestured to Gwendolyn. “Miss Brinley is gowned in Worth tonight as well, and she’s throwing herself into the spirit of the evening, although she’s wearing one of Worth’s lawndresses, something we encouraged ladies to wear on the invitations.”
“I tookencourageto meanoptional, and I along with numerous other ladies opted to wear ballgowns,” Cordelia said coolly. “As for Miss Brinley participating in every game offered, it’s not really a surprise, is it, because she’s not actually one of us. Frankly, I must admit I’m taken aback she has the wherewithal to afford Worth, but I suppose that’s a result of her being related to the Boston Brinleys, or perhaps she borrowed her little frock from her opera-singing cousin. Even so, her wearing Worth doesn’t make her acceptable in the eyes of society.”
She lifted her chin and nodded to Walter. “I’m suddenly feeling parched, Mr. Townsend. Care to join me in seeking out a glass of cold champagne?”
Manners drilled into him since birth had Walter summoning up a smile. “I’d be delighted to join you, Miss Lowe, but champagne will need to wait until after the game. My children will be disappointed if I sit this one out.”
A narrowing of her eyes was Cordelia’s only response to that before she pivoted on her heel and marched away.
“And just like that,” Walter said as he watched Cordelia’s retreating back, “Cordelia is off the list of potential candidates.”
Ethel gave his arm a pat. “She did not show herself to advantage just now.” Her eyes twinkled. “I have a feeling there’ll be many disappointed ladies after tonight, given how many of them aren’t clamoring to participate in activities that include children. Add in the notion that numerous ladies seem to have purposefully worn ballgowns to excuse their involvement in the more physical games, and you can bet Gwendolyn will be slashing their names from her list of possible candidates for you by morning.”
After trading smiles, Walter and Ethel took their spots nearPriscilla and Matilda. It took Gwendolyn all of three minutes to explain the rules, and then she moved in front of Samuel, handing him the ball and whispering something in his ear. She straightened and moved to a spot beside Walter.
“Are you ready?” she called.
After everyone nodded, Gwendolyn caught Samuel’s eye. “Remember what to say, darling.”
“Annie Over!” Samuel shouted before he threw the ball over the hedge, directly into Russell Damrosch’s hand. Everyone scrambled to run around the hedge, trying to stay clear of Russell, who had the ability to take them out of the game if he hit them with the ball.
A blink of an eye later, Russell took aim at Oscar’s friend Sherman. Before Walter could do more than change directions in an attempt to intercept the ball, Adelaide dove in front of Sherman, getting smacked in the head with the ball in the process.
“You’re out,” Russell called, as Adelaide rubbed her head, sent a glare Russell’s way, and handed the ball to Sherman before she marched off the field.
“Mr. Damrosch,” Gwendolyn snapped, striding around the hedge and stopping a mere foot from Russell. “What, pray tell, are you thinking? You should hardly be trying to take out the children first, because they’rechildren.”
“It’s a game. They need to learn they can’t always win.”
Walter wasn’t certain, but it sounded as if Gwendolyn told Russell to discontinue with the idiocy before she warned him to behave. She then told him that no, there was no prize being offered to the winner and stalked her way back to her spot beside Walter.
She sent him a rolling of her eyes. “What is wrong with that man, and how in the world does Mrs. Parker expect me to find him a match with that ridiculously competitive attitude he has?”
“Annie Over!” Sherman suddenly called, which had Gwendolyn returning her attention to the game.
Play continued at a wicked pace, both sides dwindling rapidly, although most of the adults were trying to avoid getting the children out. It wasn’t until Russell took out Matilda with one expertly thrown ball that things turned a little contentious.
“You took out my grandmother,” Oscar said, settling a glare on Russell, who was on his team.
“Someone had to,” Russell returned.
“She’s old.”
“Survival of the fittest” was Russell’s response to that as he retook his position and exchanged grins with Tillie Wickham.
“Those two are menaces,” Gwendolyn grumbled to Walter. “Did you see Tillie hit your mother with a well-placed toss?”
