Storing Up Trouble, стр. 84
“I’m hopeful my parents will be as encouraging when I tell them I’ve decided to put some of my fortune to good use to fund that endeavor.”
“I’m sure Annie will be delighted about your future plans, especially since providing resources to women in need is less likely to see you arrested as often as you would be if you merely continued attending rallies like you did in New York.”
“I bet Beatrix’s mother would be more delighted to learn her daughter has attracted the notice of Mr. Norman Nesbit,” Mamie interjected before she released a dramatic sigh. “I have to think Norman made a most splendid figure as he raced to your rescue at the lake the other day, after his mother began interrogating you about why you were interested in her son.”
“His intervention was certainly a chivalrous gesture,” Beatrix agreed before frowning. “Although I don’t believe he helped the situation with his mother when, after he realized she was accusing me of using my feminine wiles on him because I was interested in his fortune, he told her to have a care with how she spoke to me because I was going to become part of the family someday.”
“A declaration of his future intentions if there ever was one,” Aunt Gladys said with a nod. “Why, if you ask me, that was almost a proposal of marriage.”
“It did come across that way, although Norman and I have yet to discuss the matter in detail. In actuality, he’s not said another thing about it since his mother stormed off that day.”
“That was over a week ago,” Aunt Gladys pointed out.
“True, but Norman has yet to broach the subject, and since he is the one who made that declaration, I believe he should be the one to clarify what he meant.”
“I’ll have a word with him,” Aunt Gladys said briskly. “Norman probably doesn’t grasp the importance of clarifying what he meant.”
Beatrix’s eyes widened. “Oh, there’s no need for you to—”
“There’s every need,” Aunt Gladys interrupted. “And I’ll be happy to intervene.”
“I believe it’s time to get me dressed,” Beatrix said firmly, rising from the stool to move to where she’d laid out her unmentionables. Picking up a silk stocking, she drew it up her leg and secured it with a garter. After doing the same with her other leg, she handed Mamie her corset, which Mamie pulled around Beatrix’s light chemise, pulling far too rigorously on the laces.
“I can’t breathe,” Beatrix muttered.
“But your waist looks amazing,” Mamie countered.
“But no one will be able to appreciate how amazing it looks if I’m unable to attend the ball due to fainting dead away here in about a second.”
Even though Mamie immediately took to grumbling, she loosened Beatrix’s laces, then helped her with her petticoats, and finally settled a small padded bustle over the petticoats. Beatrix lifted her arms, and Mamie drew the gown carefully over Beatrix’s hair, tugging it into place before she set about using a buttonhook on the two hundred seed pearl buttons that marched down the back of the gown.
Beatrix slipped into her shoes, turned, then smiled at Aunt Gladys, who was looking her over with a sharp eye. “What do you think?”
“You look enchanting.”
“Do I look like a lady capable of using my feminine wiles to capture the attention of a particular gentleman because I’m interested in that gentleman’s fortune?”
Aunt Gladys’s eyes sparkled. “You’re far more annoyed with Norman’s mother than you’ve let on, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps I am, because her conclusions about me were incredibly insulting. Insults aside, though, I am going to disclose to Norman and his mother that I’m not a fortune hunter, what with me being an heiress and all. I was actually going to disclose my heiress status to Norman last week, but then we got distracted with the peddle-boat after his mother left, and I haven’t seemed to find the appropriate time to tell him the full truth about me since.” She smoothed down the skirt of her gown. “Frankly, what with how astute Norman is, I’ve been wondering if he’s already figured out I come from money. He knows that I did, after all, have the funds needed to bail out those women from jail.”
Before Aunt Gladys could respond to that, a knock sounded on the door, interrupting their conversation as Edgar called through the door that Norman had arrived.
“I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
“No, you shouldn’t, nor should you assume he knows about your wealth,” Aunt Gladys said before she handed Beatrix her reticule. “You should tell him tonight about your fortune, although perhaps you should wait until after dinner is served. Men tend to react better to unexpected news when they’re not suffering from hunger pangs.” She gave Beatrix’s cheek a pat. “Off you go, then, dear. I’ll be down directly. I just need to fetch my wrap from my room.”
Beatrix nodded, thanked Mamie for her assistance, then headed out the door of her bedchamber.
Edgar was waiting for her in the hallway, looking very dashing in a formal black evening suit, paired with a white shirt, white waistcoat, and white tie.
“You look lovely, Miss Beatrix,” Edgar began, offering her his arm. “Dare I hope you’re looking forward to this evening?”
Beatrix tilted her head, considering the question for a moment.
In all truthfulness, she was looking forward to the evening, no matter that she knew she’d be scrutinized by Chicago’s finest.
It had been months since she’d had an opportunity to dance, and even though she’d made the claim often that she did not enjoy all the frivolities that society offered, in hindsight, that wasn’t the full truth.
She missed the hum of a dinner party and the dancing at a ball as well as taking in the theater and riding through Central Park in the afternoon, which allowed her to chat with many of her friends.
Being presented