Hanna’s cheeks burned as she burst into a new round of laughter. “Oh, no.”
“Oh,yes.Life is a short affair, my dear. You ought to have as much fun as you possibly can, and forget anyone who thinks what you do is wrong. Judgement is the judger’s problem, not that of the judged. And anyway, how will those terrible prudes enjoy themselves if we immoral women don’t give them something to turn their noses up at?” Vivian’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
That advice touched close to Hanna’s heart, especially after her time on the couch with Gregory the night before. She giggled through the little twinge of longing. “I wish that always held true.”
“It can.” Vivian raised an eyebrow. “I know that look. That’s the look of troubles of the heart. The kind where people like to say ‘it’s complicated’.”
“I’m not sure if it’s ‘complicated’ so much as ‘difficult to disentangle’.” Hanna moved them to the next dress, a frothy creation with layered skirts and crinolines.
“Gregory?”
“Gregory.”
“Wellthatcertainly isn’t complicated. You and he moon at each other every time you see each other.”
Hanna coughed. “That’s, ah, that’s not what I would have called it.”
“That’s because you’re one of the ones doing the mooning.” Vivian put a hand on the wheel of her chair so she could spin it about to face Hanna. “Sweet child, after all this time, I know what longing looks like. And what two people who ought to give being together a chance look like. You two fit the bill nicely.”
“We do. And we don’t.” Hanna sighed as she plopped into one of the wingback chairs set up for them. “He’s my boss. He hired me and will sign my paychecks. Dating your employer is a terrible idea. Especially when he has a very public life and judgemental people who hold him accountable.”
“Mm. I admit, that situation is a bit thornier than others,” Vivian said. “The others who hold him accountable, Robert and the board of directors, none of them have room to throw stones in their glass houses. Robert might frown, but I think Gregory has figured out that it’s time to step out from Robert’s shadow. The others wouldn’t care a whit, as long as you were both born a woman and not inclined to disabuse anyone of that notion.”
Vivian’s deep frown and dark glare surprised Hanna. “I don’t understand.”
“Gregory is discovering that a lot of corporate diplomacy involves placating bigots who should be kicked in the trousers instead. The board of directors has opinions about what Gregory should do with his life, and whom he should associate with in what manners. It’s causing a bit of friction,” Vivian said.
“But– Gregory doesn’t have a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend.”
“That is one of the issues, yes. The other is that his personal assistant currently handles much of what a spouse or girlfriend would. Those old asses have definite opinions on what people do with personal assistants. Things they shouldn’t.” Vivian snorted.
“So they’re unhappy because they think everyone’s having sex with their assistants, and a man sleeping with a man is icky,” Hanna said with tremendous derision.
“Especially a man who once had ‘female’ written on his birth certificate but corrected that mistake when he could.”
Hanna blinked. And blinked again. “I– I hadn’t even guessed. Not that it matters. Martin is Martin.”
“That, he is. I wouldn’t have told you, since it’s not my information to share, but with all the recent talk… Well. I thought it was better you heard it from me, so you had time to get your thoughts together in private.” Vivian smiled, but Hanna saw the steel behind it.
So she could make sure I’m going to support Martin, not join the jerks who are talking shit about him. And so I could not accidentally say something I regret, just because I was surprised. That’s sweet of her.“I understand. This gives me some time to plan how best to shut people down, if they’re rude about Martin in my direction. Oh, my God. Those assholes are having fits about it, aren’t they.”
Vivian rolled her eyes. “Not all of them, but enough. They were always tremendous jackasses. Age hasn’t improved them. Steps are being taken to deal with them, don’t fear. But it does mean they would not be so judgemental aboutyouas you might think. The one who would judge the hardest is Gregory, who holds himself to very high standards.”
“We talked about that. Once Stuart doesn’t need a governess anymore, Gregory has said he’d like to find me a place in the company where I can get experience doing the sort of work I want to do. All that is more difficult if it looks like he’s done it because we’re dating. We decided that we’re friends until circumstances change.”
Vivian leaned back in her wheelchair to consider Hanna thoughtfully. “Until circumstances change, hm?”
“They’d have to.”
“Then let me see what I can do to change them.” Vivian smirked. “I’m old, and my mind is slipping in places, but I’m not without my resources. You leave that in my hands, all right?”
Confused, Hanna nodded. “All right. But what–”
Vivian wagged one finger. “Ah-ah. Leave me my mysteries until I can follow up on this. For now, the dresses. You see that sheet at the end of the row, there?”
Hanna turned her head to look. One of the dress forms had been covered by a large pair of sheets, disguising what sat beneath them. “What’s under there?”
“Go and see. I wanted to leave this one for a grand reveal.”