Amusement had his lips quirking, but before he could formulate a response to that, Camilla rose to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Forgive me for interrupting, but we have more important matters to discuss than a cipher code that has absolutely nothing to do with what should be our top priority right now—that being ourconvince-everyone-Adelaide-is-fashionableproject.”
“I would think deciphering the code is far more important since it could provide us with information that could keep me alive,” Adelaide countered. “There won’t be much point in making me fashionable if I’m dead.”
“A credible rebuttal, but even if you stay amongst the living, there won’t be much point putting effort into our project if you become immersed in trade. Taking up the role of merchant will certainly see society giving you the cut direct, which is almost the same thing as being dead,” Camilla countered. “Quite honestly, the only conclusion I’ve arrived at as to why you’vedecided to take over a bookstore is because you obviously relish tormenting me.”
“Of course I don’t relish that,” Adelaide argued. “I’m taking over the bookstore because if I don’t, the Bainswrights won’t retire. That would placethemin imminent danger since their shop is being used for nefarious purposes.”
“But ladies of the Four Hundred don’t involve themselves in commerce.”
“True, but in my humble opinion, my becoming a proprietress of a shop will only cement the idea that I’m an original because you can’t get more original than being a bluestocking who owns her own bookstore.”
“We’re trying to convince society being an original is agoodthing,” Camilla argued. “I highly doubt we’ll see success with that because originality, at least in their eyes, can only go so far.”
Adelaide released a breath. “I don’t believe you’re looking at this in the right light.”
“In what light should I be looking at it, then?”
“As another challenge that will stave off your ennui for the foreseeable future as well as a test to determine exactly how strong your influence is within the Four Hundred.”
“My ennui is firmly under control now, thank you very much, but tell me this—when do you think you’ll have time to run a bookshop? The Season will be starting in earnest two weeks from now at the Patriarch Ball. If we’re successful with your relaunch, you’ll be far too busy attending luncheons, dinners, balls, and the like to devote the time needed to oversee a business.”
“That’s why I wouldn’t reopen the shop until the Season settles down. I’m thinking late February would be the perfect time to do that, which will allow me to make some changes to the décor and have a small café added.” Adelaide smiled. “I believe customers would enjoy browsing the racks while partaking of a lovely cup of coffee and perhaps nibbling on a pastry.”
Camilla flung herself back onto the settee. “This is a disaster. You do not have time to become distracted by coffee and pastries, let alone everything else that must be involved with running a business, such as inventory.”
“I already know all about that. I’ve been assisting the Bainswrights with inventory for years.”
“Why am I not surprised by that?” Camilla muttered. “Nevertheless, while you may have an idea of how to go about running a bookstore, your attention needs to remain firmly on getting society to accept you in all your original glory.”
“I haven’t forgotten our objective,” Adelaide countered. “Nor do I take for granted how kind it’s been of you to take me on as your latest project. I know you’re facing overwhelming odds in your quest to find success with me, and I’ll forever be in your debt for attempting such a feat.”
“And while that’s an almost convincing speech,” Camilla returned, “it hasn’t escaped my notice that you seem far more excited about running a bookstore and assisting Gideon with a cipher code than relaunching yourself into society. That leads me to a question I should have pursued earlier—are you quite convinced you want to go through all the effort needed to change society’s perception of you, or are you going along with this because your mother is thrilled over the thought of you becoming an innovative social success?”
“The idea of seeing my mother happy about my circumstances does hold a certain appeal.”
“Enthusiasm at its finest,” Camilla said before she tucked a strand of hair that had, surprisingly, escaped its pins behind her ear. “I was hoping you’d say you were thrilled by the thought of no longer being labeled an outcast.”
Adelaide bit her lip. “Will it make you feel better if I admit I find the thought of not being the object of frequent ridicule rather lovely?”
A weight settled into the pit of Gideon’s stomach the momentthose words left Adelaide’s mouth, the weight increasing when he realized she’d spoken the words in a no-nonsense fashion, quite as if her being the object of ridicule was simply a circumstance of her life.
“I didn’t realize you suffered derision often,” he finally said.
She shrugged. “Those of us who find ourselves the target of cruel jests normally don’t care to discuss the matter. Doing so encourages the opinions of others, and since I don’t enjoy people pointing out how clumsy I am, even though I would say more than half the embarrassing episodes I’ve suffered have been the direct result of assistance from young ladies keen on comparing their graceful natures with my penchant for ungainliness, I rarely broach the topic of the unpleasantness I’ve experienced over the years.”
He leaned forward. “Am I to understand ladies have intentionally set up situations to make you appear less than graceful?”
“Such antics occur often, Gideon, especially considering the competition ladies face when vying for the most beneficial matches on the marriage mart,” Adelaide said. “We ladies are taught from birth that our main purpose in life is to secure an advantageous alliance. It’s a daunting prospect, procuring the attention of the most sought-after gentlemen, and has practically every lady on the marriage mart viewing other ladies as direct competition. That, regrettably, has pitted us against one another and caused some to resort to underhanded tactics to make themselves appear more presentable to potential suitors.”
Camilla sat forward. “And that right there is exactly why you cannot even consider taking over the bookshop. Ladies will see that as a weakness and will use it to return you to a place of obscurity within the Four Hundred.”
“How did I know you were going to turn the conversation back to the bookstore?” Adelaide asked.
“Because taking possession of it will create an insurmountablehurdle for us,” Camilla returned. “Society may come around to the idea you’re an original, and as such, should be embraced, but they’ll abandon that in a heartbeat if they realize you’re going to be dabbling in trade, which they’ll see as a direct affront to their tender sensibilities.”
“And to that I say we’ll only be truly successful if society can embrace me without expecting me to conform to their strict rules of propriety,” Adelaide countered. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought, and while I might have originally agreed to allow you to take me on because it would make my mother happy, I’m now hoping that getting society to accept me exactly as I am may give hope to other disadvantaged ladies out there. But if I’m forced to change who I am at heart, we’ll be failing what could very well be the most important aspect of our endeavor. As I’ve grown older, I’ve also been of the notion that God created me precisely as He intended.” She smiled. “I’m relatively convinced one shouldn’t ignore God’s intentions or deviate from them simply to embrace the status quo.”
