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Cole clears his throat, clearly flustered.
“Are you the proprietor?”
She sniffs. “Glory Brown. I own this block of offices.”
“This is Pearl’s aunt,” I supply, making Cole aware of the relationship.
“Great aunt,” Mrs. Brown says, lifting her chin proudly. “You all know my little grandniece. I do suppose she’s around y’alls age, now.”
“Yes, ma’am. Pearl and I went to the same college, Mrs. Brown. Different years, but we are both Agnes Glen girls.”
Mrs. Brown manages to look down her nose at me, which is a feat since she’s so petite.
“I see. Pearl went on full scholarship, you know.”
I nod emphatically. “She’s incredibly gifted.”
“I know it.” She sniffs and looks at Cole. “You’re one of the Bennetts?”
“Yes ma’am.” He clasps his hand before him and musters a somber expression.
“I’m on the Sisters of Mercy hospital board with your mother, I believe.”
“Sarah.” Cole gives her a cool smile. “She’s my stepmother, but yes. She does great work over there.”
Mrs. Brown stares him down for a solid thirty seconds. He keeps the same placid expression on his face. She eventually sniffs.
“All right. Since I know your mother, I’ll take you on as a tenant. I will need you to sign a lease, of course. Month-to-month. I’ll need a deposit from you. The deposit is nonrefundable because I will use it to pay a cleaner when you leave. Understand?”
“Of course.” He inclines his head.
“And you.” Mrs. Brown points her finger at me. “I expect that you will conduct yourself better on my property. You hear? You’re an Agnes Glen girl, so I know that you know how to behave yourself better than what I just witnessed.”
I open my mouth, but no defense seems to leap to mind. I just make a strangled gasping sound.
“Mrs. Brown,” Cole says sternly. “Leave Savannah alone. What you saw wasn't her fault. It was my doing. Savannah is nothing if not the perfect picture of propriety. I won’t hear you disparaging her.”
She looks outraged. “A girl has to take the burden of respectability on herself, Mr. Bennett. And a gentleman ought to know how to conduct himself. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. Young women need to look out for themselves. Stop letting these raggedy-ass men get between you and what you want in life.”
My hand flies to my chest and humiliation burns through my veins.
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you,” I reply meekly.
“Thank you, Mrs. Brown.” Cole interrupts, putting out his hand. “I’ll take the contract if you have it. And the keys.”
Mrs. Brown huffs and opens her purse. She stacks a manila folder and a set of keys on top of the desk, deliberately leaving his outstretched hand empty.
“The deposit is fifteen hundred dollars.” She looks between Cole and me, frowning. “I’ll see myself out.”
With that, she turns on her heel and marches out of our office, closing the door with a firm click.
I put a hand to my heart, exhaling a long, steadying breath.
Cole squints out the window. “She’s a busybody.”
Then he turns, hands the keys to me, and opens the manila file folder she handed him. He sits down at his desk and starts reading, looking completely unbothered. As if we weren’t just caught red-handed with our hands in the cookie jar.
I envy his ability to simply not think about what we could have gotten up to had the landlady not interrupted.
