Chapter 5 Cynthia
Cynthia
She should have known that Pauline’s family’s camp would not tend towards “rustic”; the Mayhews were no hunters.
Cynthia silently chided herself for not using her savings on more new clothing than just a daring two-piece bathing suit.
She wished she had purchased at least one summer frock that was worthy of the house that rose before her.
The sprawling structure, clad in brown shingles and festooned with porches, stood on a slight rise offering a commanding view of Long Pond.
Towering pines and lush rhododendrons shielded it from view of nearby houses.
Window boxes spilling over with brightly colored blooms gave the place a European sensibility.
A breeze wafted up from the lake, bringing with it a hint of woodsmoke and decaying leaves.
Cynthia hoped she had kept her astonishment to herself.
While she had been made decidedly aware of the disparity between her family’s wealth and Pauline’s, sometimes reality still surprised her.
Her time at Barlow had been a learning experience beyond the traditional coursework.
Until she had arrived on campus, she had no idea of how much luxury truly existed in the world.
And here she was, about to be surrounded by it for the summer due to her roommate’s generous hospitality.
Pauline reached for Cynthia’s hand and tugged her towards the wide stone steps leading up to a deep porch that wrapped around the entire front of the lake house. “Let’s get you settled in your room, and then we’ll head for the lake. I’ll introduce you to the gang.”
Cynthia’s heart pounded faster in her chest. Pauline had introduced her to members of her crowd on campus too.
Her friends had been pleasant, to be sure, but it had been painfully obvious that they did not feel she was quite their sort.
Besides, Cynthia wasn’t one for parties and the like, no matter the circumstances.
Her reticence to mingle had been one of the reasons why Pauline claimed she had not secured herself a steady boyfriend in the two years they had known each other.
Despite Pauline’s best efforts at introducing her to every eligible young man to cross their path, Cynthia had not found herself paired off, as had so many of her fellow coeds.
Perhaps it was her reserved and studious nature.
It also might have been because she spent most of her spare time either studying or working on that blasted article for Professor Avery.
She willed a smile to her face, determined to be a good sport and not ruin Pauline’s fun at matchmaking.
The house was as breathtaking on the inside as it was from the outside.
With eleven bedrooms, six bathrooms, a gaming room, and a library—not to mention the expected dining room, living room, and enormous kitchen—Cynthia felt she needed a map to find her way around.
But the most intimidating thing of all was Pauline’s mother.
As Pauline wound down the tour, she finished up in a small sitting room overlooking the lake.
A dark-haired woman dressed in a linen shift and pearls sat at a desk tucked into the bay window.
She turned as Pauline pushed open the door to the room, and Cynthia immediately marked less warmth between her roommate and the older woman than had been on display with her father.
Pauline turned towards Cynthia and beckoned her forward.
“This must be your guest,” the woman said, nodding towards Cynthia.
“Mother, meet Cynthia,” Pauline said.
“Thank you so much for inviting me, Mrs. Mayhew,” Cynthia said. “I appreciate your hospitality.”
The older woman looked her up and down as if calculating her suitability as one of her daughter’s intimates.
Once again, Cynthia wished she had spent some money on higher-quality clothing.
She did not feel poorly dressed in her pale-yellow sundress and low-heeled sandals, but she knew that her wardrobe would never measure up to Pauline’s.
Still, she must have passed muster to some extent, as the older woman nodded and gave her a brief smile.
“It’s lovely that you could join us.” Mrs. Mayhew turned towards her daughter once again. “I’ve invited the Harringtons for bridge and cocktails this evening. It’s a bit of a welcome party for you as well as them.”
“We’ll still have time enough to go to the beach for a bit before it starts, won’t we?” Pauline asked.
“As long as you’re quick about it. But be sure to return with enough time to make yourselves presentable before they arrive. You know how important it is to make a good impression on them.” She looked Cynthia up and down once more. “I’ve decided to put your friend in the Lilac Room.”
Pauline nodded, then grabbed Cynthia by the hand once more and pulled her from the room. As they raced up a wide central staircase to the second floor, Cynthia couldn’t shake the feeling that she had failed some sort of unspoken test.
“Who are the Harringtons?” she asked when they’d reached the second-floor landing.
“They’re another old-money family with a place on the next cove. Everyone thought my mother would marry their eldest son, but she married Daddy instead.”
Cynthia tried to picture her own mother inviting a former flame to a card party where her husband would be in attendance. It was impossible to imagine. The rich really did do things differently.
Pauline strode towards the door at the end of the hallway and flung it open. “This will be your room. It’s right next door to mine. I’m sorry it doesn’t have a view of the lake. I can’t imagine what Mother was thinking, putting you in here on your first visit.”
It had been all too clear to Cynthia what Mrs. Mayhew had been thinking: She had taken her measure and found her wanting. Her chilly reception gave Cynthia even more incentive to find a job as quickly as possible. She was certain she wouldn’t be encouraged to stay for very long.