by Jen Turano
“You need a lady who can be your true companion.” Asher leaned closer to Harrison. “I’ve come to the conclusion Gertrude is perfect for you.”
Harrison completely forgot he’d been trying to inch away from his friend and froze on the spot. “Why in the world would you have concluded that?”
“Because you pay attention to her.”
“I pay attention to all my friends.”
“You don’t look at Gertrude the way you look at your other friends.”
“Of course I wouldn’t look at Gertrude the way I look at you. That would be curious indeed especially since I do try to smile more at my lady friends than I do at the gentlemen I know.”
“You’re being obtuse, and on purpose I think.”
Harrison grinned. “Too right I am because I’m not used to you taking an interest in my romantic life, or lack thereof. And while Gertrude is a charming lady, one whose company I enjoy immensely, I’m simply not in the market for a wife. I have a business to continue growing and that business demands all of my attention these days.”
Asher, annoying friend that he apparently was, completely ignored Harrison’s protest. “Permilia told me you stumbled in on Gertrude when she was dressed in her unmentionables. If word of that gets out, you do realize you’ll have no choice but to offer the lady the protection of your name, don’t you?”
“How in the world do you imagine word of that incident getting out? It’s not as if we were entertaining a large crowd while she was standing around in her unmentionables. Besides, I barely stepped into the room before I realized it was a place I shouldn’t be, which had me turning directly around and presenting Gertrude with my back.”
Ignoring all that as well, Asher suddenly narrowed his eyes on Harrison before he stuck his hand into his formal evening coat and pulled out another black velvet ribbon from the apparently unending supply he kept on his person. Handing it over to Harrison, he gave a sad shake of his head. “You’re looking the part of a pirate at the moment, which won’t do at all. And, since you evidently lost the first ribbon I gave you, I’m sure you’ll now understand why you need a lady in your life, one who would be capable of keeping you well put together.”
“And you believe Gertrude would be up for that task—the same Gertrude who had orange skin when I first met her and drifts through the city dressed in fashions that are more curious than some I’ve been known to wear?”
Asher’s lips twitched at the very corners. “You’ve actually noticed the curious fashions Gertrude adopts upon occasion?”
Unwilling to address that somewhat telling remark, since he knew full well he was considered a less than observant gentleman, Harrison hitched another smile into place even as he took a moment to tie back his hair with the ribbon Asher had just given him. He couldn’t help but notice as he slipped his fingers through his tangled hair that he did seem to have lost the first ribbon altogether. That was a sad sort of circumstance if there ever was one, and a circumstance that had no doubt happened while he’d been in the midst of one troubling lady event after another.
“Have I ever mentioned how disconcerting I find it when you always seem to have some random item someone needs at the ready?” Harrison asked in a blatant attempt to change the subject. “You’re quite like a magician in that regard, and truth be told, I’ve always found magicians to be a somewhat sketchy lot.”
“Don’t think I haven’t realized you’re trying to distract me from the Gertrude topic, but to address your disconcerting statement, Harrison, I’m the owner of a department store. I’m expected to have random items at my disposal. I’ll have you know that because I’m always in possession of spare handkerchiefs, smelling salts, glue, hair ribbons, and a wide variety of other essentials such as stockings and garters, profits at the store have continued to increase on a steady basis, especially over the past few months.” He smiled. “Customers enjoy knowing a merchant is prepared for any situation, and that right there is exactly why they’ve become so comfortable shopping at Rutherford & Company.”
“While I find myself beyond curious as to why you’d carry around glue, and concerned that you just admitted you often have spare garters on your person, as well as stockings, you must know that your profits have increased lately because you were fortunate enough to convince Permilia to come on board as your vice president. Given that she seems to have an uncanny ability to discover artistic talent in the oddest of places, such as Five Points, your profits are only certain to continue increasing with every new designer she brings to the store, something that should have that merchant heart of yours going pitter-patter. Add in the notion that society has now decided you and Permilia are the most riveting couple of the year, even more riveting than the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Wannamaker, well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t have to resort to hiring on additional staff members in order to control the crowds that are flocking to your store in order to get a glimpse of your riveting faces.”
Asher smiled and leaned on the ship’s railing. “I am a fortunate gentleman, aren’t I?”
Joining him at the railing, Harrison returned the smile. “You are, but before you turn annoyingly poetic again, allow me to point out that the evening is quickly getting away from us. We really should be making our way over to the Manhattan Beach Hotel. Most of the guests, if you’ve neglected to realize, have already departed for the hotel and will be waiting for you, the guest of honor, along with your fiancée.”
“I’m sure all of our guests will be quite comfortable being looked after by the staff at the hotel, which are rumored to be exceptional in their execution of their various duties. Having said that, I can’t leave the ship yet. Permilia went to check on Gertrude’s progress and hasn’t returned.”
Harrison opened his mouth with an offer to track down Permilia and Gertrude on the tip of his tongue when the sound of laughter suddenly rang out across the deck. Turning from the railing, his attention was captured by the sight of Gertrude walking toward him. She was laughing at something Edwina was saying and had her arm entwined with Edwina’s, quite as if she’d known his sister for years. On Gertrude’s other side were Permilia and Temperance Flowerdew, both of whom were laughing as well. What they were laughing about, though, Harrison had no idea, because an odd buzzing noise had settled in his ears, making it difficult to hear.
The only idea he seemed to have left in his head was that Gertrude, now wearing a rather fine dress of palest blue, or at least he thought it was blue, was looking very delightful indeed.
Tilting his head, he considered her closely, unable to help but wonder if she was looking so delightful to him because she’d done something different with her hair. It was no longer parted into two buns anchored directly over her ears, but was now drawn up in a knot on top of her head, with little wispy bits of golden curls tumbling out of that knot that were caressing what he just then noticed were very delightful-looking cheeks.
As the most curious feeling began churning through him, Harrison found himself rooted to the spot, wondering if his captivation with Gertrude was some odd result of Asher suggesting he should consider viewing her in a more romantic light.
His pondering on the subject was interrupted when Asher took hold of his arm and began prodding Harrison forward in a somewhat determined fashion.
“And so it begins,” Asher said with a distinct trace of amusement in his voice.
“So what begins?” Harrison managed to get out of a mouth that was now unusually dry.
“Your transition into a poet, of course.”
With that, Asher released a bit of a laugh and increased their pace, ushering Harrison straight in Gertrude’s direction.
Chapter
Eight
Dashing at eyes that were watering due to the laughter she was sharing with her friends, Gertrude lifted her head and found Harrison standing a few feet away from her, the sight of him causing her to swallow the laugh she’d been about to release.
It wasn’t that she’d lo
st the ability to laugh because she was faced with a most dashing gentleman—because there was no question that Harrison aptly fit that description. Having spent so much time in his company over the past few months, she’d grown accustomed to his appearance, but what did have her slowing her steps, and then coming to a complete stop, was the manner in which he was watching her.
There was something curious in his eyes, something she couldn’t quite put a finger on, but it almost seemed as if he’d taken to watching her as if he’d never seen her before in his life.
Truth be told, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was considering her so closely to discern whether she had the look of a thief about her, or wondering when she was planning to make off with the prized painting hanging in the library, an idea she knew Clementine had planted in his head.
As her cheeks began heating, even with a sea breeze sending its cooling mist over her face, Gertrude squared her shoulders and tried to sort through thoughts that had taken to jumbling every which way. She wasn’t certain what she should say, but a hushed atmosphere was now settled over the small group assembled on the deck, broken only by an occasional clearing of a throat coming from Asher that, oddly enough, seemed to be tinged with a hint of amusement.
Lifting her chin, Gertrude managed to get an impressive “Ah . . .” out of her mouth, but then found no other words seemed to want to follow, which left her floundering again.
Fortunately, Edwina, who was standing directly by her side, did not seem to be floundering in the least. She stepped forward, marched her way across the small space that separated her from her brother, and poked Harrison in the arm.
“What in the world is the matter with you, Harrison, and why are you standing there with your mouth gaping open and looking as if you’ve just spotted a ghost, or . . .” Edwina drew back her arm and sucked in a rather loud breath of air. “Where is Mrs. Davenport? Do not tell me that Margaret won the day in the end and threw her in some type of makeshift brig, or worse yet, sent her and that annoying Clementine Flowerdew adrift in one of our dinghies. I mean, granted, Clementine does seem to be a bit of a nightmare, but she’s well connected socially from what I’ve been able to gather, and I’ll never be invited to another society event if you’ve allowed her to be cast out to sea.”
Harrison blinked, blinked again, and then, surprisingly enough, grinned. “Surely you must realize that I would hardly be standing here having a little chat with you if Margaret had cast those two ladies adrift.”
Edwina reached out and poked her brother again, then apparently decided that wasn’t enough poking, so she did it again. “Margaret was completely put out with the situation, Harrison, and you know she’s not one to deal gently with society members. I could easily believe she would cast two annoying society members adrift. And if they haven’t been sent out to sea, where, pray tell, are they?”
“Adelaide, being a most sensible sort, saw to it that they were escorted from the yacht after we drew up next to the pier.”
Edwina narrowed her eyes. “Why did Adelaide have to do such an unpleasant task?”
“Because she’s a kind soul?”
Edwina’s eyes narrowed to mere slits. “You made a great escape from the wheelhouse, didn’t you?”
“Since you did the very same thing, I don’t think you should be pointing out the error of my ways,” Harrison shot back. “And . . . what did you mean, you’ll never be invited to another society event?”
Waving that straight aside, Edwina tilted her head. “Are you quite certain Mrs. Davenport and Clementine were seen safely to the Manhattan Beach Hotel?”
“Since Adelaide assured me that she personally saw those two ladies into one of the many carriages the hotel sent to the pier to pick up our guests, I can say with relative certainty that they made it safely to the hotel. And—” he held up his hand when Edwina opened her mouth—“given that my very good friend, Mr. Cavendish, has been assisting me with pulling off the event at the hotel, and because he is known to be a most charming gentleman, I would imagine he personally escorted Miss Flowerdew and Mrs. Davenport into the ballroom we’ll be using this evening. He’s probably even gone so far as to see them well settled with a refreshing glass of wine. So, that’s that, and with Mrs. Davenport’s and Miss Flowerdew’s exposure to Margaret limited, I’m going to declare here and now that there was little harm done.”
Another poke in the arm was Edwina’s first reaction to that before she began speaking again, this time in a voice that had risen by a good octave. “Little harm done? You can’t treat society members so willy-nilly. And while I admit that Mr. Cavendish is a delightful gentleman, and well connected, it would have eased the troubling situation tremendously if you would have personally escorted Mrs. Davenport and Miss Flowerdew from the ship and into a carriage because that would have certainly gone far in soothing their tender society feelings.”
Before Harrison had a chance to respond to what was clearly a tirade on his sister’s part, Temperance stepped forward, although she was looking quite unlike her usual self. If he wasn’t much mistaken, she was also wearing one of Edwina’s gowns, and had apparently benefited from his sister’s skill with styling hair since Temperance’s dark hair was no longer pulled into a severe knot on the back of her neck, but was styled almost identically to Gertrude’s.
“I’m very much afraid, Edwina,” Temperance began, “that if your brother had escorted Clementine to the hotel, it could have turned his world topsy-turvy. He would have been woefully unprepared for the assault I fear Clementine has decided to wage to win his affections.”
Harrison took a single step backward. “Your cousin wants to assault me?”
“Not a physical assault,” Temperance returned. “An assault more along the lines of using every feminine ploy she has at her disposal, one where fluttering lashes, breathy sighs, and even a few carefully planned damsel-in-distress scenarios will most certainly be directed your way.”
“Any suggestion on how I might avoid this assault?” Harrison asked.
Temperance bit her lip. “I have no idea except to perhaps suggest you make plans to travel extensively over the summer and hopefully in a different country.”
Harrison frowned. “That seems a little excessive, and isn’t actually feasible because I do need to oversee production of numerous ships currently being built down at the New York City docks.”
“Perhaps you should simply find a lovely young lady and proceed to court her, which will sufficiently take care of the problem of several ladies trying to pursue you once and for all,” Asher suggested, sending Gertrude a bit of a wink, one that left her with the distinct feeling Permilia wasn’t the only newly-in-love person who seemed to be embracing a matchmaking attitude.
Harrison, fortunately, missed that wink, but then he shook his head, that telling motion sending an unexpected wave of disappointment coursing through Gertrude’s veins.
“As I keep saying, I’m perfectly content with my life, and unwilling to change that life simply because rumor has it I’m soon to be in demand.”
“That is hardly embracing the spirit of a poet,” Gertrude thought she heard Asher mumble before he exchanged a look with Permilia. He evidently read something in her look, because he then smiled a charming smile and nodded to the group at large.
“While pondering Harrison’s dilemma is certainly a most riveting way to spend an evening, we do have guests awaiting our arrival at the Manhattan Beach Hotel. Shall we get on our way and see what other exciting entertainments we may encounter this evening?”
Edwina was the first to move, striding across the deck toward the plank. She looked over her shoulder. “No time to linger. There are amusements waiting for us.”
Harrison took a step toward his sister. “I wasn’t aware you were accompanying us, Edwina.”
Edwina turned and sent her brother a lovely smile. “Gertrude issued me an invitation. She was under the misimpression it was a simple oversight on your part that I wasn’t invited, even th
ough you and I know that isn’t the truth.” She narrowed her eyes at Harrison. “However, since all the etiquette books I’ve recently read suggest it’s bad form to refuse an invitation that’s so graciously offered, I had no choice but to accept.” Edwina darted a look to Temperance. “I am right about that etiquette business, aren’t I?”
Temperance smiled and joined Edwina, taking hold of her arm. “Very nicely done, Edwina, and now, before your departure is thwarted with some argument on your brother’s part, we should go, and quickly.” With that, Temperance, a lady who appeared to be coming out of the meek and reserved shell Gertrude had always known her to embrace, sent Harrison a cheeky grin before she practically ran toward the plank, Edwina matching her every step.
“Wait for us!” Permilia called, pulling Asher after them and disappearing down the plank behind Edwina and Temperance a moment later.
Left all alone on the deck with Harrison, Gertrude turned his way, finding him looking somewhat bemused. Shaking his head, he caught her eye.
“Why do I get the distinct feeling I’ve just lost a battle I wasn’t aware I was fighting?”
“Your sister is adorable, and I’m quite certain because of that you’re often on the losing side of whatever battle she decides to wage against you.”
Harrison smiled. “She does know a thing or two about thwarting me, although I must say I’m still a little taken aback by all the other battles that are apparently being waged against me, especially the ones pertaining to matters of pursuit, and . . .” He suddenly stopped talking when someone called out to him from across the deck.
Glancing toward where the voice had sounded, Gertrude discovered a lady heading their way from the direction of the wheelhouse. She was dressed all in black and gesturing wildly toward the plank, even while her mouth moved furiously. It was anyone’s guess, though, what she was saying, since the wind was whipping her words right out to sea.