Mrs. Parker set aside the paper she was reading on a cozy chaise positioned by bay windows that sported a stunning view of the Atlantic. “Don’t be ridiculous. I have no intention of sending you packing, and contrary to your belief, Ihaveconsidered the matter at length. As I mentioned over breakfast, you’ve become an instant sensation in Newport. It wouldn’t benefit me to terminate your employment now. In the spirit of full disclosure though, I was planning to give you the boot after Mrs. Oelrichs told me what transpired between you and Miss Suzette Tilden.”
“I think people should act on their first impulse, and becauseyour first thought was to fire me, allow me to pack my bags and get off to the docks.”
Mrs. Parker narrowed her eyes. “Don’t think I’m oblivious to the fact you want me to fire you so you won’t feel as if you’re shirking your commitment to me. I believe shirking goes against your nature, which does speak highly of you. Nevertheless, I’m not going to appease your desire for termination, because you’ve done something I’ve never been able to accomplish—you’ve shown a negative side to one of this Season’s reigning diamonds, Suzette Tilden. That proves you have substantial worth, and it was only your first night out as my assistant.”
“It wasn’t a difficult feat to accomplish, what with how Suzette deliberately tried to embarrass Adelaide Duveen, most likely in an attempt to show herself to greater advantage.”
“Well, quite, but you see, until last night Suzette was thought to be above reproach. After her punch debacle, and because she had the audacity to publicly engage in a verbal skirmish, her diamond status has been significantly diminished. Her misbehavior has permitted our very own Miss Ellsworth to shoot straight to the coveted spot of being consideredtheincomparable of the summer.”
Mrs. Parker snatched up the fan she always kept at the ready and waved it in front of her face. “Besides accomplishing that unusual feat, by announcing yourself as my assistant matchmaker, society gentlemen have learned my closely guarded secret. I’ve been inundated with calling cards today—not from ladies, but from gentlemen, all of whom long to secure meetings with me to discuss their interest in Elizabeth.”
Gwendolyn winced. “It was badly done of me to release the cat from the bag about your secret. In my defense, though, I was unaware matchmaking was such a hush-hush occupation.”
Mrs. Parker stopped waving her fan. “Mothers, of course, know how to find us matchmakers, dear, but society gentlemen have always been kept in the dark about the matter.”
“Why would keeping gentlemen in the dark be a preference?”
“Not allowing gentlemen to know there are matchmakers roaming about society allows us to use subtle manipulation to get clients’ daughters the best possible gentlemen to the altar without those gentlemen realizing they’ve been manipulated.”
Gwendolyn frowned. “I would think gentlemen would be avoiding you now, not seeking you out.”
“That’s what I thought, until I began receiving all those calling cards.” Mrs. Parker’s cheeks began to flush, which left her plying her fan again. “If I’d have known gentlemen would come courting me once they learned I’m a matchmaker, I’d have publicly declared my position years ago.” She smiled. “I’m now going to be able to interview gentlemen here, in the comfort of my cottage, quite like a queen granting favors as she lounges on her throne.”
Gwendolyn folded a towel into her bag, stilling when an interesting thought sprang to mind. “It seems to me you no longer have need of an assistant matchmaker, which means I can either remove myself from Newport or resume the position you originally hired me for—that being paid companion.”
“You are tenacious, I’ll give you that, but I have no intention of relieving you of your matchmaking duties.”
“But the reason behind turning me into an assistant matchmaker was because you lacked mobility. Clearly, you won’t need to be mobile to interview gentlemen here at Raven’s Roost.”
“But not every gentleman has paid a call on me, which is why we’re preparing to head out to Bailey’s Beach to speak with Mr. Clarence Higgenson. I’ve heard that gentleman has been asking questions about Miss Hannah Howe.”
Gwendolyn stuffed another towel into the bag. “I was wondering if you’d forgotten you were representing Hannah, what with how often you’ve been speaking about Elizabeth Ellsworth this morning.”
“Elizabeth is currently the darling of the Season, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to devote attention to Hannah, especially with Clarence Higgenson showing interest in her. He’s the heir to the Higgenson shipping empire, is quite handsome, and would be a wonderful catch for Hannah—even though he’s rumored to be fond of a questionable woman by the name of Mrs. Lanier. She traveled in society until she had the audacity to divorce Martin Lanier a few years ago because, well, he was a disreputable sort who drank to excess.”
“Clarence wouldnotbe a wonderful catch for Hannah if he’s in love with another woman and is only considering marrying an acceptable society lady to appease his family.”
“I doubt that’s why he’s showing an interest in Hannah. She’s a delightful young lady. Any gentleman would be fortunate to have her as a wife.”
“But if Clarence is in love with this Mrs. Lanier,Hannahwon’t be fortunate in the least if she marries him. And before you insist he’s not in love with Mrs. Lanier, if society is aware he spends time in her company, odds are heisin love with her and is merely trying to placate his family by considering other options. That circumstance is something I understand because my grandparents tried to coerce my father into abandoning his interest in my mother, who was not considered society-worthy, and turning that interest on an acceptable young lady, an option my father refused to entertain.”
Mrs. Parker sat forward on the chaise. “Am I to understand your father was society?”
“Oh dear.” Gwendolyn muttered before she suddenly found it difficult to resist a smile when she realized she’d been given an unexpected opportunity presented to her in the form of an unintentional slip, one that could result in her being released from a commitment she was ill-equipped to complete with any success, no matter that Mrs. Parker believed differently. “I must beg your pardon in advance for what I now feel compelled todisclose, even though doing so will most assuredly have you relieving me of my post.”
“I’m not certain you should look so cheerful about the matter.”
Gwendolyn pressed her lips together, earning her a rolling of the eyes from Mrs. Parker before her employer patted a spot beside her.
“You might as well make yourself comfortable as you go about disclosing everything. Believe me, I’m all ears.”
Abandoning her bag, Gwendolyn settled herself beside Mrs. Parker, taking ten minutes to explain the particulars of her family, during which time Mrs. Parker’s eyes widened, narrowed, widened again, then narrowed as Gwendolyn finished her tale.
“If I’m understanding correctly, you’re an heiress?” was Mrs. Parker’s first response.
“I thought you’d be more concerned that I’m a member of the Scandalous Brinleys.”
Mrs. Parker pursed her lips. “That is disturbing, as is the idea your father fell in love with an Irish woman, but I’m more curious to learn why you’d take up a paid position when you have no need to earn a living.”
