New York - The Novel

intended to play his part, which was to make the O’Donnells look respectable. Of course, the British usually assumed—quite incorrectly—that all American money must be new. Nevertheless, the presence of Clarissa’s rich old grandfather and his entirely respectable sister would do much to ease Clarissa’s way into her new life.
    So when Sean had remarked the day before, “We’ll put our best foot forward here, sis, if you know what I mean,” Mary had felt a little sinking of the heart.
    “I can’t lie, Sean,” she’d said. “I’m never any good at it.”
    “Of course not,” he’d said.
    “What is it you want me to do?”
    “Just be yourself.”
    “And what are you going to do?”
    “Nothing much.” He smiled. “I may let them think we’ve had money a little longer than we have, if you know what I mean.”
    “Oh, I’m sure to put my foot in it. Leave me out of it, Sean. Tell them I’m sick.”
    “Nonsense,” he said, “you’ll be fine.”
    With a sinking heart, therefore, she now went in to meet the Riverses.

    Well, they were certainly very friendly, she’d say that for them. Young Gerald Rivers was only twenty-five or so, and obviously quite determined to like his fiancée’s family. Lord and Lady Riverdale were both tall, dark-haired and elegant; and whatever their private thoughts and intentions might be, a lifetime of practiced perfect manners protected their hosts and themselves from any awkwardness. Daniel and his wife seemed quite at ease, and Clarissa was looking radiant. So after some greetings all round, it only remained for Mary to make small talk with the new arrivals, ask them about their voyage on the White Star Line, and whether their hotel was comfortable. Lady Rivers asked a question or two about the city’s museums and galleries, and was obviously quite impressed that Mary could tell her all about the best exhibitions to see.
    “We shall be glad of your guidance,” she remarked, “for my husbandand I have come here, I’m quite sure, with all the ignorance of Mark Twain’s travelers in
The Innocents Abroad.”
    All in all, the conversation passed very pleasantly until dinner was announced.
    Sean’s dining room was impressive. They often seated twenty in there, and his dinner service was magnificent. Mary could see that the Riverses were favorably impressed. Since they were eight, they dined at a round table. “It’s so awkward seating eight, isn’t it?” she remarked to Lady Rivers as they were about to take their seats, thanking heaven that she knew from Hetty Master the perils of correct
“placemen”
at dinner. Starting very properly, speaking to the person on one side of her, then switching sides with each course, she could go through all the correct motions of the dinner party to perfection. But with an intimate party like this at a round table, some general conversation might also be permitted. Lord Rivers inquired where she lived and was duly informed that she had a house just round the corner from her brother, and that perhaps, if Lady Rivers had time, she might like to come to tea there. His Lordship then remarked that he’d heard the Vanderbilts had built some huge mansions further up Fifth Avenue; and she was just wondering how to respond, when a little phrase that Hetty used about Gramercy Park suddenly came into her mind.
    “We like the fact that it’s a little quieter down here,” she said. It was the sort of thing old money said, and His Lordship inclined his head.
    “Quite, Miss O’Donnell,” he acknowledged, understandingly.
    So far so good.
    It was soon clear that the Riverses were anxious to stress every American connection that they could think of.
    “We’ve met a charming compatriot of yours, several times,” Lord Rivers remarked to Mary. “Mr. Henry James, the author. He’s been living in London for years, and is quite a fixture at dinner parties there, you know.”
    “A very distinguished man,” said Mary. “Though I’m afraid I don’t always read his books.”
    “Ah,” said His Lordship, with a smile, “nor do I.”
    Lord Rivers then spoke to her about his family a little, and in doing so, let fall some rather interesting information.
    “The Rivers family, you know, were in the navy mostly, for generations.Two admirals, I may say. It was only when a quite distant cousin died that the title and estate came across to my father. And there’s an American connection too. Our branch descends from a Captain Rivers,