“Mrs. Parker does know 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 full well 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 tasks Mrs. 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 I am odd,” 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?”
“While that’s very kind of you to want to abandon formality, to point out the obvious, addressing me—a member of the help—by my first name isn’t going to improve your reputation amongst the social set.”
Adelaide waved that aside. “I’m dressed like a cake. Clearly, I’m not overly concerned with my reputation. But before Mother, who is currently pondering the kitten situation, launches into a lecture about my propensity for collecting cats, why don’t you explain the tasks Mrs. Parker gave you tonight. I couldn’t help but notice a trace of panic flickering through your eyes when you mentioned them.”
“She wants me to speak with Mr. Townsend, or perhaps interrogate him would be a better way to put it.”
Phyllis’s brows drew together. “Has she lost her mind? There’s no way the ladies surrounding Mr. Townsend will make way for you, a lady they’ve obviously already discovered is in Mrs. Parker’s employ. Yes, they’d make way for Mrs. Parker, but her assistant matchmaker? I think not. That means you’re doomed unless . . .” She tapped a finger against her chin before she nodded. “We’ll have you and Adelaide approach him together.”
The knot that had been lingering in Gwendolyn’s stomach eased ever so slightly. “That’s a generous offer, but I’ll only accept if it’s alright with Adelaide.”
“Of course it’s alright with me,” Adelaide declared. “Do know, though, that there’s a strong possibility the ladies gathered around Mr. Townsend will close ranks against us, but we can at least find comfort in the idea we’ll be closed out together. Rejection is always better when one doesn’t face it alone.”
“A cheery thought,” Phyllis murmured. “But you’re not going to be rejected. Mrs. Oelrichs is still in Mr. Townsend’s vicinity. She’ll, again, be only too happy to introduce you, as well as Gwendolyn, to the gentleman.”