Chapter 36 Cynthia
Cynthia
Even though they had stopped at the property, they were still early enough arriving at the beach to have their pick of spots.
Calvin chose a spot just above the damp edge of the sand and flapped open the blanket he had extracted from his trunk, settling it gently onto the ground.
Cynthia slipped off her shoes and used them to anchor two corners of the blanket, then placed her straw handbag on a third.
The two sat side by side, looking out over the lake, suddenly slightly shy in each other’s presence.
Before she could think of anything to say, she heard her name being called out from farther along the sand.
Calvin turned his head, and as she followed where his gaze went with her own, her heart thudded to a stop in her chest.
Pauline waved at her, both arms stretched above her head.
In her wake, Cynthia could see Glenn, a couple of the other boys he usually palled around with, and a few girls she had seen in passing.
The look on Glenn’s face left no doubt of his displeasure at seeing her there with someone else.
Part of her was flattered that he would be inclined towards jealousy.
The rest of her was horrified at what might turn into an ugly scene.
Besides, it wasn’t as though she had promised to exclusively spend time with either Glenn or Calvin.
Neither of them had made any such request of her.
She straightened her shoulders and told herself everything would turn out just fine.
It had been too perfect a day to be spoiled.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Pauline said as she paused at the edge of the blanket. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Calvin Willard. Calvin, this is my friend and college roommate, Pauline Mayhew,” she said, making introductions.
She wasn’t sure how to introduce Calvin, since none of the others besides Pauline knew she had taken a job at the Maine Chance.
Being a maid certainly wouldn’t earn her any respect in their crowd, and she wasn’t about to offer up that information.
Not that she was embarrassed by it, exactly, but she still wasn’t sure what she thought of Glenn.
She was fairly certain what he would think of her if he knew she had need of employment over the summer, especially something as menial as being a chambermaid for people of his social class.
She thought she felt Calvin looking at her out of the corner of his eye, and she wondered if he noticed that she eliminated explaining how she knew him.
Her stomach turned, and the thought of the cook’s picnic basket made her feel slightly nauseated.
The rest of the group caught up with them, and Glenn’s shadow fell across her outstretched legs, leaving her suddenly chilled.
“Well, this is a surprise. We haven’t seen you for ages, and now you’ve turned up today with some other fellow,” Glenn said. “What am I supposed to think of that?”
Calvin got to his feet. “I think you’re supposed to think that Cynthia is free to do as she pleases with whomever she pleases,” Calvin said.
Cynthia scooted backward slightly and scrambled to her feet as gracefully as possible.
Her sundress was not designed for feats of athleticism.
She smoothed the back of her skirt with her palms, noticing they had become slightly damp.
She couldn’t help but notice how evenly matched the two men were.
Both were athletically built and of approximately the same height.
Calvin’s clothing looked like something you might buy off the peg in a Main Street shop or department store, while Glenn’s appeared as though it had been tailored specifically for him.
Still, she would not have known which one to put money on if it came down to a physical altercation.
Surely it wouldn’t devolve into something like that, would it?
Glenn relaxed his posture slightly, apparently coming to a decision. He stuck out his hand towards Calvin. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m always happy to see Cynthia, no matter whose company she might be keeping.”
Calvin grasped Glenn’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Pauline tapped Glenn playfully on the shoulder, and as the men released their grip, she tucked her arm through his.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to swim out to Sheep Island today?” she asked. Several of the others in the group chimed in and reminded him of their plan.
“That’s right. Calvin, won’t you join us? Or don’t you swim?” Glenn asked, looking Calvin up and down.
Calvin turned towards Cynthia. “Would you like to come? I wouldn’t want to leave you here on your own.”
Pauline spoke again. “She won’t be alone. I’ll stay with her while you boys go for a swim.”
“I don’t mind. Have fun and I’ll see you when you get back,” Cynthia said.
“Why don’t we make it a race?” Glenn said.
Calvin nodded, and all the young men began peeling off their T-shirts and stripping down to their swimming trunks.
Glenn’s torso was toasted to an even shade of brown.
Calvin sported an endearing farmer’s tan, with a pale chest and back and bronzed arms starting at the bicep and moving towards his hands.
Pauline stood on the water’s edge and counted down—three, two, one, go.
The boys dashed into the water and dived under as quickly as the depth permitted them to do so.
With long scissoring strokes, they sliced through the water towards the island near the middle of the lake.
“That will keep them busy for some time,” Pauline said, sitting down and tugging Cynthia onto the blanket next to her. “Now, who is this Calvin, anyway?”
“Calvin’s a chauffeur at the Maine Chance. I met him on the day of my interview.” Cynthia brushed a stray bit of sand from the surface of the blanket. “Did your mother mention that she saw me yesterday?”
“Mother was so angry when she returned home. She said she’d seen you and that Geraldine Putnam was incredibly rude to her.” Pauline clapped her hand over her mouth and giggled.
“I wouldn’t say that Geraldine was rude, but I would say that she did stick up for me when your mother started to get suspicious about why I was at the resort. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her,” Cynthia said.
Pauline squinted. “Mother sounded quite convinced that you were there as a model for Mrs. Putnam. Do you think she suspected something else?”
“She saw me in my maid’s uniform and instantly assumed that I was working in that capacity. If Geraldine hadn’t swooped in and announced that I was wearing it just as a bit of costuming for a modeling session, I would’ve been entirely found out.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that Mrs. Putnam was so fast on her feet.
If my mother had found out what you were up to, she certainly would have bad-mouthed you to everybody, including people like Glenn’s parents.
That would’ve taken you out of the running for snagging him, I can tell you that for sure,” Pauline said.
As she considered it, she knew many other girls would be distressed to be considered out of the running.
Glenn was everything she was supposed to want in a man.
Her mother would think he was the ultimate prize and surely would consider Cynthia’s education more than worth it should she come away with such an important attachment.
But as she gazed out across the water, Cynthia silently rooted for Calvin as the boys became smaller and smaller specks slicing through the water.
“I certainly was lucky. Mrs. Putnam is an extraordinary woman in most ways.”
“I suppose that you were.” Pauline turned towards the lake and held her hand over her eyes, shielding them from the sun. “What are you doing here with a chauffeur, anyway?”
“Calvin and I are friends, and we both have the same day off. He wanted to show me something, and then we came for a picnic afterwards.” She felt no inclination to mention the kiss.
“I hope you’re very careful about the sorts of things you’ll let young men show you,” Pauline said.
“He’s good looking, I’ll give him that. But believe you me, Cynthia, you don’t want to throw away your chances with someone like Glenn for a summer fling with a chauffeur.
Boys in my crowd can give you the sort of life where you have a chauffeur of your own instead of being married to one. ”