Gwendolyn resisted a sigh. Given that Daniel had made a point of telling Mrs. Parker she wouldn’t be compensated until vows were spoken, she was convinced the rumors were true and Daniel was, indeed, on the lookout for an heiress.
“I’m afraid I have no names to provide you, Mr. Mizner. I made a point of at least beginning to learn about the gentlemen we were sponsoring, and I then took that information to form educated decisions regarding which lady would suit them best. I have no insight into your character, and because of that, I’m afraid I don’t know who would suit you.”
“What about her?” Daniel said, nodding to Adelaide. “She’s been out for at least five Seasons, and I imagine she’d welcome my attention.”
“I am sitting right here,” Adelaide said, rising to her feet. “And while this may come as a shock to you, Mr. Mizner, I’m not interested in furthering an acquaintance with someone who addresses me as ‘her.’ We’ve been introduced before, and to refresh your memory, I’m the lady who unintentionally whacked you with my fan.”
When Phyllis rose to her feet as well and settled a glare on Daniel, he swallowed before he returned his attention to Gwendolyn. “Perhaps we could discuss this at a later date, and in a less hostile environment.”
“I’m afraid I won’t be engaged in matchmaking services from this point forward, Mr. Mizner, but I wish you well in the future,” Gwendolyn said.
“How unfortunate, but thank you for the well wishes.” Daniel glanced back to Phyllis, who was still glaring at him, and swallowed again. “I suppose all that’s left to do now is bid everyone a good afternoon.” Sending Gwendolyn an inclination of hishead, Daniel headed for the door, paused to remind Frank Lambert they needed to set up an appointment to discuss financial investment opportunities soon, then disappeared a moment later.
“You were right when you refused to sponsor him,” Frank said, drawing Gwendolyn’s attention. “I didn’t get the impression, during the few times we spoke, that he has honorable intentions when it comes to finding a wife.”
Gwendolyn arched a brow. “And you do?”
“There’s nothing dishonorable about my objectives,” Frank returned. “I want to marry well to improve my social station, which will then allow any children I may eventually have to be raised in a world that will accept them. They’re certain to be considered outcasts if I don’t do exactly that, forced to peer through the glass leading into society and all its advantages, but refused entrance into the upper crust because their father had the audacity to make his money instead of inheriting it.”
Gwendolyn took a step closer to Frank. “And while that isn’t a dishonorable plan, I’m going to tell you what I mentioned to Walter Townsend numerous times. You need to set your standards higher. You seem to believe that settling for a society lady, who will always consider you beneath her, will set your future children up well in life.”
She shook her head. “It will do nothing of the sort, and your children will not thank you for the strife they will certainly grow up in. There’s no rule stating a man with wealth must get accepted into society. There is life outside the Four Hundred, and a wonderful life at that. What you need is a lady already in possession of her own fortune, which would allow you to know she’s not marrying you for your money but simply for you.”
“Where would I find a lady like that?” Frank demanded.
“Honestly, must I spell everything out today?” Gwendolyn jerked her head toward Catriona. “She’s right over there.”
Catriona glided across the room and settled a frown on Gwendolyn. “I know I mentioned in passing I might considermarrying again, but I didn’t mean I was looking to do that anytime soon. Frank and I barely know each other, and more importantly, I’m not overly fond of him at the moment.”
“I wasn’t suggesting the man drop to one knee and propose to you here and now,” Gwendolyn said. “And, yes, you’re not currently fond of him, but you didn’t hesitate to join him when he was turned away from Bailey’s Beach, and you allowed him to keep you company last night before you were set to perform. You never let anyone do that.”
“True, but...” Catriona narrowed an eye on Frank. “Before Gwendolyn begins listing reasons why she believes you and I will suit, I’m going to point out the main reason she’s wrong. You, Frank, are determined to marry a lady who’s high in the instep, something I’m certainly not, and that will never change. Besides that, you asked me last night to introduce you to ladies, even going so far as to suggest they’d be impressed because you’d spent time in my company.”
Frank rubbed a hand over his face. “I only asked you to introduce me around because you told me you were assisting Gwendolyn with matchmaking. Truth be told, I would have been content to simply remain in your company, but ladies like you don’t spend a lot of their time with men like me. I’m rough around the edges, not sophisticated, and don’t warrant a second look from beautiful women like you, which is why I had to keep telling myself not to follow you around everywhere, even though I wanted to.”
Catriona crossed her arms over her chest. “So what if you’re a little rough? You’ve been able to find success using your intellect and your bare hands if I’m not mistaken. There’s nothing shameful about that, and Gwendolyn certainly has the right of it when she says you should set your standards higher.”
“I would be only too happy to do exactly that,” Frank said quietly, “but you’re a standard that’s far out of my reach.”
Gwendolyn held her breath as Catriona considered Frank fora long moment before a small smile flickered over her face. “You may be off the mark about that, but since Gwendolyn and I have plans to depart from Newport as soon as possible, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt for you and me to repair to the front parlor and discuss what is certainly an unexpected development.”
“It would be my honor to escort you to the parlor,” Frank said, moving into motion a second later. He took hold of Catriona’s hand, pressed a kiss to her knuckles, then extended his arm to her, which she took, and together they strolled from the room.
“I’ll say this,” Phyllis said from where she’d resumed her spot on the chaise, “if nothing else, my dear Gwendolyn, you’re definitely going to be remembered as the most successful matchmaker Newport has ever seen.”
“On the contrary,” Cordelia countered, drawing Gwendolyn’s attention as well as a wince, because she’d almost forgotten Cordelia was still in the room. “If you ask me, Miss Brinley will only be remembered as the notorious woman who, even though she realized I would be the most suited for Walter Townsend, had the audacity to attempt to steal him away from me.”
Gwendolyn wrinkled her nose. “For the umpteenth time, I didn’t try to steal Walter from anyone—nor, if I may speak bluntly, was I ever convinced you were the lady best suited for him. If you’ve forgotten, the twins became horribly sick while in your care, and all because you fed them too many sweets.”
“I’m sure that happens to children all the time, and it’s not as if I forced them to eat all the sweets I gave them.”
“They’re children, of course they’re going to eat all the sweets. They don’t know any better. You, on the other hand, should have. And...” Gwendolyn shook her head when Cordelia opened her mouth, a protest clearly on the tip of her tongue. “Another mark not in your favor was that, after I told you they’d gotten ill, you didn’t take responsibility for their sadplight. You also didn’t think to leave the dinner early to check on their welfare. I, however, departed before the sixth course was served, and good thing I did, because the children were still feeling sick and needed someone besides their older brother to tuck them into bed.”
“And that right there is exactly why the children were right and that you, Miss Gwendolyn Brinley, would be the best choice to become their mother.”
Gwendolyn closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds before she turned, finding Walter standing in the doorway, looking rather disheveled, as well as a touch too appealing. Her gaze settled on his face, and every thought about how appealing he was disappeared when she realized he was smiling at her, quite as if he expected her to be pleased with the declaration he’d just made.
She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, because she had news for him—she wasn’t pleased in the least, in fact, she was what could only be described as infuriated.
