Caught by Surprise

by Jen Turano

  “For those of you unfamiliar with who I am, I’m Miss Temperance Flowerdew.”

  Titters ran through the crowd, ones that Temperance waved aside. “Yes, I know, I’ve been in the papers of late. I’m not up here to talk about that, but I hope you’ll humor me for a moment because I have something very important to say.”

  She paused for a brief second, and if Gilbert wasn’t much mistaken, her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears.

  “Over the past few years,” Temperance began, “I’ve been quite lonely, having lost my parents unexpectedly, as well as losing the only life I’d ever known. All that changed, however, when two extraordinary ladies decided they wanted to become my friends, even though I must admit I wondered why in the world such magnificent ladies would want to be friends with me.”

  Gilbert glanced to Gertrude and Permilia, who were both beginning to wipe their eyes with the handkerchiefs Asher was handing them.

  “Because of that friendship though,” Temperance continued, “I was able to set aside my loneliness and discover a new sense of happiness, one I never thought to feel again, and it’s all due to Miss Permilia Griswold and Miss Gertrude Cadwalader.” She brushed aside a tear. “You two ladies are dearer to me than I can ever explain, and I’m simply delighted you’ve both found gentlemen worthy of your love, and gentlemen I know want nothing more than to ensure your happiness.”

  She turned and walked to the piano bench, turning back to smile at Permilia and Gertrude. “I know it’s not enough to ever repay your kindness, but I thought we could open the ball with a waltz, one I wrote to honor our friendship and celebrate the love you’ve found with your very special gentlemen.”

  With that, she sat down on the bench, placed her fingers over the keys, and waited as Harrison and Gertrude took to the floor, followed by Asher and Permilia, who didn’t seem capable of refusing Gertrude’s waving of a hand to join them.

  Beaming at her friends who were beaming right back at her, Temperance closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, and then she began to play.

  As Temperance’s fingers flew over the keys and the sound of the waltz she’d written for her friends filled the room, Gilbert couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Her talent was incomparable, and even though he’d heard her play before, there was something different about her abilities now, something mesmerizing.

  Every note she played held a distinct measure of joy, and in a split second, as if God had leaned down from heaven and whispered into his ear, Gilbert understood exactly why she was reluctant to abandon her life in the city to accompany him to England.

  She was alive now, beautifully so, and her happiness was a tangible thing, spreading from her very being and captivating everyone in the room.

  Taking a quick glance around, he found more than one lady dabbing at her eyes, while Miss Henrietta, Miss Mabel, and Mrs. Davenport seemed to be weeping into their handkerchiefs. Even Alva Vanderbilt and Mrs. Astor, accompanied by Mr. Ward McAllister, the social arbiter of the day, seemed to be moved by the music. Those ladies were nodding their heads to the rhythm of the waltz, while Mr. McAllister was smiling, a rare event indeed from what Gilbert knew of the man.

  “She is such a special young lady,” his mother whispered, fishing out a handkerchief from the sleeve of a brilliantly blue ballgown. “I cannot believe I didn’t find her and demand she come live with your stepfather and me.”

  “You had no way of knowing she’d been left in dire straits, Mother,” Gilbert said as Temperance finished playing. “But do know that I have every intention of finding out from her father’s attorney why we weren’t informed of her plight, even if I have to hunt that man down myself.”

  Joining in as the guests broke into enthusiastic applause, Gilbert smiled at his mother, then returned his attention to Temperance, who’d risen from the piano bench and was already being embraced by Gertrude. Permilia soon took Gertrude’s place, followed by Harrison and Asher, each gentleman taking her ungloved hand and kissing it.

  Telling his mother he’d return directly, he began making his way to Temperance, his journey interrupted by curious guests intent on learning why he was sporting two black eyes and longing to learn if the news of his engagement to Miss Flowerdew was true. Unwilling to answer any of their questions, he settled for simply inclining his head time and time again, which might have allowed the guests to believe he and Temperance were truly engaged, something he was certain Temperance would take him to task for at some point in the evening.

  When he finally broke away from three ladies who’d been trying to learn the particulars about how he proposed to Temperance, he increased his pace, dodged two gentlemen he pretended he didn’t see gesturing for him to join them, and didn’t stop walking until he reached Temperance’s side. When she turned from Harrison and sent him a grin, he felt quite as if the marble floor beneath his feet had tilted, leaving him completely unbalanced.

  “That went better than I expected,” she admitted, her grin causing a small dimple to pop out on her cheek. “I wasn’t certain playing an original piece would go over very well, and did you catch the part in the third stanza when I mistakenly hit a C note instead of a D?”

  “It sounded like sheer perfection to me, and I imagine no one noticed the mistake.”

  She reached out and gave his arm a squeeze, the touch of her hand on his arm doing nothing to improve his sense of balance or lack thereof. “I well recall that you’re somewhat tone deaf, but in this particular instance, I’m going to forget that and hope you’re right about no one noticing.”

  Harrison stepped up to them and gave Gilbert a hearty clap on the back even as he sent him a significant look, as if he knew Gilbert was experiencing a most curious and unexpected moment. He then turned a charming smile on Temperance. “I’m certain no one heard a note out of place, Temperance, and how could they?” He waved a hand around. “If they weren’t completely absorbed in the music, they would have been spending their time all agog at the decorations Gertrude told me you were responsible for.” He leaned forward. “Tonight I see the splendor of this room, and I have you to thank for the feast my eyes are enjoying.”

  Temperance’s face turned pink. “I’m so glad you’re enjoying the decorations, Harrison.” She smiled. “Your appreciation goes far in soothing what I’m certain was annoyance over the many lectures I received when various people found me on a scaffold that I kept trying to tell everyone was completely safe.”

  “Safe or not, I’m certain you won’t need to make use of that scaffolding again,” Gilbert added, earning a narrowing of the eyes from Temperance, until she caught sight of the black armband circling his upper arm.

  She grinned and poked the armband that was, in actuality, a spare sock from one of Asher’s always well-stocked pockets. “I knew Asher would have something you could use.”

  Asher stepped up to join them. “I do seem to get requests for the most peculiar items at times.”

  “Has it ever struck you how peculiar it is to us when you always seem to have just the right item available when we make those requests?” Gilbert asked as his mother slipped between him and Temperance.

  “There’s nothing peculiar about a gentleman making it a point to always be prepared for whatever odd circumstance life may fling his way,” Asher said, whipping out a spare handkerchief and holding it at the ready while Gilbert’s mother pulled Temperance into a hug.

  “That was inspiring, my darling girl,” his mother said, stepping away from Temperance and taking the handkerchief from Asher a second later. She dashed it over eyes that were a little misty. “I’ve missed hearing you play the piano, as well as missed simply having you around.”

  “I’ve missed you as well,” Temperance returned. “I’ve been meaning to pay you a call all week. My intentions were put on hold, though, after Miss Henrietta turned somewhat bossy, insisting I stay inside the schoolgrounds until the madness of late comes to an end.”

  His mother bit her lip. “I meant to
call on you as well, dear, but then decided you might not care for me to descend on you unannounced since our initial reunion did not go as planned. I know I caused you more than a touch of distress. I believe my dismay at learning you’d been left at the mercy of an uncaring cousin had me speaking of matters that should have been left for a later date—especially regarding your father’s attorney and how he’d misled me about your well-being.”

  Temperance’s forehead furrowed. “While I admit that the subject of my father’s attorney is distressing, I was not troubled by that. Quite frankly, I’ve been coming to the conclusion that Mr. Howland might very well have something to do with the recent skullduggery Gilbert and I have been experiencing.” She shook her head. “If you’d not allowed me to know of Mr. Howland’s suspicious behavior, especially regarding how he clearly went out of his way to make certain you couldn’t contact me, I wouldn’t have considered him as a suspect, so I’m grateful to you, not distressed.”

  “But I blurted all of that out instead of approaching it more delicately.”

  Temperance smiled. “If you’ll recall, Mrs. Beckwith, I’ve never been one who needs to be treated delicately, but . . .” Her smile widened as she glanced at something over his mother’s shoulder. “We’re becoming far too maudlin, and this is a ball, an event that’s supposed to be filled with frivolity—and speaking of frivolity—Gertrude appears to be trying to get my attention, so if everyone will excuse me, I’m off to help reveal our next surprise.”

  To Gilbert’s surprise, Temperance, instead of immediately hurrying off to join Gertrude, who’d moved to stand in front of the orchestra, stopped by his side and leaned close to him, her closeness lending him another whiff of her intriguing perfume.

  “Because everyone in attendance tonight, except for our closest friends, seems to believe we’re slightly engaged, even though I’ve been diligently spreading the rumor we can’t make any announcements because you’re in mourning for your brother, you may partner me in this next surprise, so . . . stay available.”

  With that, and leaving him with his senses spinning due to the perfume, Temperance moved to join Gertrude, who immediately waved to the crowd as the members of the orchestra picked up their instruments.

  “I’d like to officially welcome everyone here tonight,” Gertrude began. “Harrison and I are so honored you could join us this evening. And because we wanted it to be an evening filled with laughter, and bright colors of course, since my dear Harrison does have a great liking for bright colors . . .” She grinned at Harrison, who was wearing the most lurid orange neckcloth Gilbert had ever seen, as well as a black dinner jacket that had bright stripes of orange woven into the black fabric. Harrison returned the grin, and for a second, Gertrude was distracted, until Temperance gave her a less-than-discreet tap on the shoulder.

  “Ah yes, where was I?” Gertrude asked, turning a delightful shade of pink.

  “You were about to announce the rules for our first quadrille,” Temperance said, earning gasps of anticipation from some of the ladies in response.

  “Quite right, the quadrille.” She gestured to Permilia, who seemed to be trying to edge her way out of the spotlight, but she wasn’t fast enough. “As some of you know, Miss Griswold made a slight error when she was at the lovely Mrs. Vanderbilt’s ball, believing the Go-As-You-Please Quadrille meant you could go anywhere you please.”

  Gilbert watched Mrs. Vanderbilt nod even as she sent a fond smile Permilia’s way.

  “And because of that, and because we have invited all the students who go to Miss Snook’s School for the Education of the Feminine Mind to join us as guests this evening, and we haven’t had enough time to devote to dancing lessons as of yet . . . although . . . speaking of those students has reminded me of something.” Gertrude stopped talking and turned a somewhat determined eye on the guests in attendance, ones who were not all members of the society set, but most of whom were involved with successful businesses. “Many of those young women will soon be qualified to accept different positions in areas of business, especially typing, so make certain to seek out Miss Henrietta Huxley and allow her to know of any positions you have available that may be filled by our students once they graduate.”

  “And do know that I have access to the guest list,” Miss Henrietta called out. “I know what business every gentleman here owns, and if you don’t want to find me knocking on your office door, you’ll seek me out and promise employment to our students after they complete their lessons.”

  Gilbert turned to his mother and grinned. “She’s shameless.”

  “And more than a little frightening, which is why I imagine those young women she sent to your office will soon find themselves permanently employed.”

  “Too right they will,” Gilbert agreed as Gertrude turned to Temperance.

  “Where was I?” Gertrude asked Temperance.

  “The quadrille,” Temperance reminded her.

  Gertrude nodded. “Right, the quadrille. So, here are the new rules for the Go-As-You-Please Quadrille. In honor of our dear friend Permilia, there will be no rules, no required dance steps, and all of you may dance as you please and where you please.”

  As everyone made a beeline for the ballroom floor, Gilbert strode to Temperance’s side, smiling when she took his hand, the music began, and complete and utter mayhem took over the ballroom.

  Guests were moving every which way, but everyone was laughing, and even though there were no rules, something that should have bothered him but didn’t, he found himself swept up into the spirit of the dance, enjoying Temperance steering him rather forcefully about the room.

  When the music ended, laughter and applause erupted, and another dance began, one he asked Edwina to partner him in.

  “Where’s your Agent McParland?” he asked as he spun her around.

  “He’s running late, but he sent a note promising he’ll be here at some point,” she said, completely oblivious to more than a few gentlemen they danced past tossing smiles her way.

  “Still have your heart set on marrying the man?”

  “Of course. Still have your heart set on convincing Temperance she’ll make an admirable countess?”

  He returned the smile. “While I would love to say yes, I’m no longer certain Temperance is meant to be my countess. She’s obviously very content here in New York, and I don’t believe I want to be the reason she loses that contentment.”

  “Then perhaps you need to discover a way that will allow you to stay here with her.”

  After thanking him for the dance when the music ended, Edwina moved off to join Harrison, and arm in arm, brother and sister took to the floor.

  Making his way over to Miss Henrietta, he bowed over her hand, and even though she gave a bit of a feeble protest, he led her to the very middle of the assembled dancers, and they were soon gliding away.

  Two dances later, he walked with Mrs. Vanderbilt over to Mr. McAllister, regretting that decision almost immediately when Mr. McAllister began peppering him with questions, wanting to know every little detail of how Gilbert’s face had become so battered.

  By the time he was finished being interrogated by Mr. McAllister, Mr. Barclay was announcing it was time for dinner, so after excusing himself, he headed across the room again, meeting up with Temperance in the middle of the ballroom.

  “Thank goodness dinner is about to be served,” Temperance exclaimed, taking his arm. “I’m famished.”

  “Are we going to enjoy an adventurous dinner to go along with the theme of the evening?” he asked, joining the swarm of guests who were making their way out of the ballroom and toward the first floor where dinner was to be served.

  “I’m certain you will find some of the dishes adventurous.”

  Enjoying the sparkle of amusement in her eyes, as well as enjoying the evening far more than he’d enjoyed an evening in a very long time, Gilbert walked with Temperance into the dining room once they reached the first floor, a room that was filled with servers all bus
tling about with silver trays in their arms.

  “Where shall we sit?” he asked.

  “We’re at Gertrude and Harrison’s table, of course, but before we join them, I need to check on the students from the school. This is their first formal dinner, and I’m certain they’re overwhelmed.” She smiled. “Gertrude’s been diligent with their table manners, but sitting down to dine in the middle of a classroom is completely different from dining in the middle of a grand ball.”

  As she led him over to the tables where the students were sitting, Temperance stopped directly beside Mercy. Mercy immediately pointed out how they’d placed their linen napkins exactly so, and that they’d counted the silverware and were somewhat confident they’d manage to make it through the courses without too many mishaps.

  “We’re just tickled to pieces, Miss Temperance, to have been included tonight,” Mercy began, her eyes bright with excitement. “I ain’t, I mean, I’ve never been invited to sit down at a fancy meal like this before, although I have cleaned up the mess that’s been left after these types of meals have finished many times.”

  “And we also had great fun doing that special quadrille,” said Bernice, whom Gilbert remembered made the most scrumptious cakes. “We didn’t have very many gentlemen partners, but it sure was nice of you, Mr. Cavendish, to join all of us in that polka.”

  “And I bet he’s got some bruises on his shins for his kindness,” Mercy finished with a grin.

  After telling the women to enjoy their meal, he walked with Temperance to their table. The first course of oysters on the half shell was immediately served, followed by two soups, one a consommé and the other a bisque. Footmen dressed in vivid orange livery whisked the oysters and soup away a short time later, a warmed plate was set down in front of everyone, then the fish course was served, a delicious bass in a rich cream sauce.

  Comfortable conversation flowed freely, and looking around the table at his friends, Gilbert suddenly understood exactly why Temperance was reluctant to abandon the life she’d carved out for herself.