Suppressing a grin, Walter watched as Priscilla buried her head against Gwendolyn again before he settled his attention on Reverend Eberhard, who had spread his arms wide as he gazed over his congregation.
“How wonderful to see so many pews filled this morning,” Reverend Eberhard began. “Forgive me for the delayed start. I’m afraid it was unavoidable because I felt called to change the sermon I was going to preach today. My original intention was to speak on Proverbs 31:9, which reads, ‘Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.’ However, I felt pulled to speak on a different Scripture passage. I will, however, say one thing about Proverbs 31:9. As most of you remember, I frequently feel compelled to remind all of you who repair to Newport for the summer, given the many financial blessings most of you have received, that it’s your responsibility to look after those less fortunate.”
Reverend Eberhard took a moment to gaze out at his congregation again, smiling and nodding to the gentlemen in the audience, Walter being one of them, along with Mr. Thurman Chandler, Mr. Russell Damrosch, and then Mr. Clarence Higgenson, who was sitting beside Mrs. Lanier in the Higgenson family pew, empty except for the two of them. The rest of the Higgensons were apparently unwilling to accept Clarence’s decision to become engaged to a divorced woman.
Reverend Eberhard then returned to his notes, lifted his head, and smiled once again. “Let us begin the service today with prayer.”
Saying a quick prayer of his own that his children wouldn’t decide to take that particular moment to turn disruptive, he glanced to the twins and saw Gwendolyn showing Priscilla and Samuel how to fold their hands properly. The twins didn’t release so much as a whisper of dissent while the opening prayer was said, although they both gave a rousing “Amen” at the end, which earned them a grin from Gwendolyn in return.
Silence settled over the congregation as Reverend Eberhard opened the Bible lying on the lectern, consulted it for a moment, then lifted his head. “As I mentioned, I felt called to speak on a different topic today, and whenever I feel called to act, I know I’m being sent a message God wants me to deliver. Today I’m going to speak on James 3:16. For those of you who do not have your Bibles open, that verse says, ‘For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.’”
Reverend Eberhard stepped around the pulpit and folded his hands in front of him, his gaze once again traveling over the congregation but this time lingering, or so it seemed, on the ladies in attendance instead of the gentlemen.
“It came to my attention early this morning that there seems to be an issue with appropriate behavior this Season in Newport,” he said. “From what I understand, more than a few of our own seem to have forgotten some of Christ’s most important teachings, specifically the one revolving around His commandment that we are to love our neighbor.
“To be clear,” Reverend Eberhard continued, “love does not entail abusing an opponent during a friendly sports game, nor does loving one’s neighbor ever consist of peculiar incidents where beverages spill out of their respective containers and land on unwitting victims.” He stepped behind the lectern again. “I’ve also been apprised that shoving has been witnessed at more than a few events, sharp elbows delivered to the ribs of unsuspecting ladies in an effort to jockey into a better position when eligible gentlemen are out and about.”
He shook his head. “It is my belief this questionable behavior is a direct result of jealousy, as well as greed, brought about from a desire to obtain the most advantageous unions. Jealousy is a dangerous creature, my friends, and can burrow into our souls and turn us hateful and bitter, unable to experience the simple joys of life. From where I stand, it’s evident that jealousy is turning friend against friend this Season, and life without friends is joyless indeed.”
Reverend Eberhard consulted his notes again. “As you of marriageable age traverse through the Newport Season, I encourage you to abandon the custom of choosing a matrimonial partner based solely on the size of their fortune or status within society. Each of you should strive to secure marriages of love and affection, setting aside any temptation to marry simply because of the lure of materialistic possessions and higher rank amongst the socially elite.”
“Oh dear,” Ethel whispered, leaning closer to Walter. “I hope Reverend Eberhard didn’t misunderstand the calling he heard today, because it’s one thing to lecture the gentlemen in the congregation about giving to the poor, but it’s another matter altogether to go after the ladies. Mothers will not take kindly to him questioning the behavior of their daughters.”
“I’m sure he understood exactly what God wanted him to impart today,” Gwendolyn whispered back. “And while I’m sure you’re correct about the ladies being annoyed at being taken to task, it’s a message many in attendance needed to hear. And who better to deliver a message about questionable behavior than a servant of the Lord?”
“If I may have everyone’s attention again?” Reverend Eberhard said, raising his voice to be heard over all the murmuring and rapid waving of fans by ladies who, as Ethel had mentioned, were not taking kindly to the reverend’s words.
As the church grew quiet, Reverend Eberhard paced around the pulpit. “To those of you who have participated in unbecoming antics, I say this—you must go forward with grace and love, refusing to give in to the temptation to set yourself apart from the crowd by disparaging anyone. Everyone is considered your neighbor, and God, again, expects you to love them.”
As Reverend Eberhard returned to his notes, silence settled over the church until Samuel suddenly jumped to his feet as the bag he’d insisted on bringing with him began to move, right before a gray face complete with whiskers and a black nose appeared—a nose that unfortunately belonged to . . .
Before Walter could finish the thought, Rat, Samuel’s oddly named guinea pig, scrambled from its hiding place, clawed its way up the skirt of Ethel’s gown, landed on her shoulder, and sat there trembling for the briefest of seconds—until Ethel released a shriek right as Samuel tried to grab him.
It quickly became evident that Rat didn’t want to be caught, because he launched himself into the air, landing on Matilda’s hat. She immediately began shrieking as well while trying to knock the guinea pig from her hat with her hymnal.
“Don’t hurt him,” Samuel yelled, lunging for Rat but missing when the guinea pig scurried down Matilda’s back, eliciting renewed shrieking from Matilda. Rat then jumped onto the railing of the pew and took off as fast as his little guinea pig legs could carry him.
“Rat!” Samuel yelled as he leapt over the short wall of the pew and began chasing after his runaway pet. “Rat!” he called again as Priscilla, followed by Gwendolyn, dashed out of the pew, running pell-mell after Samuel.
As Walter raced to catch up with them, he soon discovered Samuel’s continuous yells of “Rat” were not the shrewdest thing for his son to yell in a room filled with sensitive ladies, because a chorus of shrill squeals began echoing around Trinity Church.
Pandemonium was swift as some ladies jumped up on the benches while others made a beeline for the door.
Unfortunately, with the aisle now crowded with ladies attempting to flee, Walter’s forward progress turned into a crawl. Craning his neck, he wasn’t surprised to see Samuel, upon finding the steps leading from the balcony blocked by ladies, squeeze his way to the railing, hoist his leg over it, and begin sliding his way to the first floor, Priscilla following suit a second later.