“I’ll need the names of those ladies,” Gwendolyn said, already pulling her small notepad out of her reticule, which left Walter grinning.
“Tonight probably isn’t the time to run them to ground and take them to task,” he said.
“I suppose you’re right,” Gwendolyn muttered, stuffing the notepad back into her reticule before she checked the time on the delicate watch worn over her evening glove. She nodded to Ethel. “We’ll revisit the names of those ladies at a later date. For now, I need to get the game of Annie Over organized.”
She turned to Walter. “What’s next on your schedule?”
Walter reached into his pocket, withdrew the schedule she’d written out for him, and glanced over it. “I have the next thirty minutes free. I’m guessing you gave me a break because there’s no dancing while the children play this Annie Over game, but . . .” His lips quirked. “Would you look at that. Even though you gave me the thirty minutes, you made a notation I should use that time to mingle with whatever lady I may find more than pleasant.”
“I want you to use your time efficiently tonight.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised by that,” Walter said, tucking his schedule away before he offered her his arm along with a most charming smile. He then offered his other arm to Ethel and escorted them out the door and toward the place where the game of Annie Over was to be played.
As she strolled by his side, Gwendolyn couldn’t help wondering if Walter was simply ignoring her notation about his spending his time with someone he found more than pleasant, or if there was some other reason behind his offering her his arm . . . although what that other reason could possibly be, she had not the slightest idea.
Thirty-One
“I can’t help but question whether I’m the lady you find to be more than pleasant company, or if Gwendolyn is,” Ethel said, which had Walter dragging his attention away from where Gwendolyn was holding Priscilla’s hand as she gave Rat, cradled in Samuel’s arms, a pat and then said something to Oscar that sent him running off in the direction of a footman.
It was a loaded question if there ever was one, but it didn’t need much contemplating, because while he always found his mother’s company delightful, spending time with Gwendolyn was far more than pleasant and deserved a much more descriptive word such as . . . remarkable.
She was a captivating mix of temperamental, compassionate, and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on but that he suspected was simply Gwendolyn wrapped up in a mesmerizing package. Not that he was going to admit any of that to his mother, or admit that all the ladies he’d been squiring around of late paled in comparison to Gwendolyn.
It was an odd circumstance finding himself all but enthralled with his matchmaker. She’d given him no indication he was anything other than one of the gentlemen Mrs. Parker had agreed to sponsor, but he did think she didn’t find him quite as annoying as she used to, which was something, but . . . still.
“I believe I have my answer without you saying a word,” Ethel said, giving his arm a squeeze. “I suppose the question of the hour now is what you’re going to do next.”
He forced a smile. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“And I’m quite certain you do, just as I’m sure you’ll be surprised to learn I wouldn’t be opposed to . . . Well, perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself.” Ethel turned her attention to where Gwendolyn was chatting with Priscilla. “She does have a wonderful way with the children, doesn’t she?”
Walter couldn’t disagree with that, especially when he watched Gwendolyn whisper something into Priscilla’s ear and a second later his daughter was skipping her way over to his mother-in-law. Matilda was standing on the sidelines by herself, a smile on her face, something she’d been sporting often of late. Her smile turned into a grin when Priscilla took hold of her hand and tugged her over to where a crowd was gathering around Gwendolyn.
It wasn’t difficult to understand why his mother-in-law had started smiling so much, considering she’d told him a week before that there was something quite delightful about assuming the role of indulgent grandmother, one that didn’t require her to intervene when the children misbehaved, because lately they’d been on their best behavior.
The reason for that was, of course, Gwendolyn. She’d managed to get his children’s unruliness under control in a no-nonsense fashion, simply pointing out their misdeeds in a gentle and sometimes amusing way.
That she was more than adept at understanding children was reinforced by Catriona, who when she’d encountered him riding his bicycle down Bellevue Avenue with Oscar made a point of telling Walter all about Gwendolyn’s love for her five siblings.
“If I may have everyone’s attention, please?” Gwendolyn suddenly called out. “We’re about to begin a game called Annie Over, but I’d like everyone to know it’s not a game simply for the children—any adults wanting to join in are welcome. With that said, we’ll need an even number of players on either side of the playing field.”
It came as no surprise when Adelaide was the first to take her place on the opposite side of the hedge from where Gwendolyn was standing, joined by Gideon Abbott, who positioned himself next to Adelaide, which was interesting because Gideon wasn’t a gentleman who enjoyed participating in society’s unusual pastimes.
Russell Damrosch then took up a spot next to Oscar, joined by Tillie Wickham. Frances Bottleworth and E. J. Boettcher took their places next, while Suzette Tilden, accompanied by Thurman Chandler, went to stand beside Samuel, who’d given Rat over for safekeeping to a waiting footman. August and Hannah were the next to join the game, August choosing to stand beside Russell, while Hannah went to stand on the other side of Oscar as a dozen other children scrambled to take their places.
“We still have some open spots,” Gwendolyn called, directing her attention to where a few ladies were gathered, crossing her arms over her chest when every lady seemed to make a point of avoiding eye contact with her.
“Shall we?” Ethel said, tugging Walter into motion, then stopping when they encountered Cordelia Lowe lingering on the sidelines. “Care to join us, dear?” she asked.
Cordelia’s brow puckered. “No, thank you. I’m clearly not dressed to participate in a children’s game. I’m wearing Worth, and Charles Worth never meant for his creations to withstand anything more strenuous than dancing.”
Ethel gestured to Gwendolyn. “Miss Brinley is gowned in Worth tonight as well, and she’s throwing herself into the spirit of the evening, although she’s wearing one of Worth’s lawn dresses, something we encouraged ladies to wear on the invitations.”
“I took encourage to mean optional, and I along with numerous other ladies opted to wear ballgowns,” Cordelia said coolly. “As for Miss Brinley participating in every game offered, it’s not really a surprise, is it, because she’s not actually one of us. Frankly, I must admit I’m taken aback she has the wherewithal to afford Worth, but I suppose that’s a result of her being related to the Boston Brinleys, or perhaps she borrowed her little frock from her opera-singing cousin. Even so, her wearing Worth doesn’t make her acceptable in the eyes of society.”