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Secret romantic interest sparks intrigue on a transatlantic return journey

Returning to America aboard an ocean liner, Polly Brewster receives a private wireless message from Tom Latimer, setting off curiosity among her companions Eleanor Maynard and Dorothy Alexander. The girls attempt to uncover the sender's identity through the ship's telegraph operator. The journey marks a transition from European travels back to New York, where Polly prepares to pursue her studies in interior decoration despite persistent unwanted romantic suitors.

CHAPTER I → CHAPTER II

Crisis at sea demands quick instincts and physical resilience under pressure

A sudden collision in dense fog knocks Polly Brewster and Tom Latimer off Mr. Dalken's yacht near Bedloe's Island into dark waters. Tom draws upon his collegiate athletic training to swim against heavy harbor tides while supporting the unconscious Polly. Rescued by a patrol boat and treated at the Statue of Liberty barracks, both recover before reuniting with worried parents at Battery Park, demonstrating how shared peril tests endurance and presence of mind.

CHAPTER III → CHAPTER V

Context alters value when prized possessions leave their original settings

Upon unboxing European antiques at Mr. Ashby's shop, Polly, Eleanor, and Dorothy discover that their purchases lack the romance of foreign travel. Encouraged by Mr. Fabian and Mr. Dalken, the young decorators embark on country motoring trips through New England to source local pieces. At a rural farmhouse, clever bargaining with host Mrs. Tomlinson yields a rare Sheffield-glass pitcher and classic glass candlesticks in exchange for a simple parlor lamp.

CHAPTER VI → CHAPTER VII

Discerning eyes unearth hidden treasures where undisciplined enthusiasm buys…

Attending a country estate auction in Westchester, Polly explores a dusty attic box to discover valuable century-old woven coverlets, acorn-top fire irons, and an antique warming pan. While the group secures these authentic relics for small sums, Eleanor impulsively bids up common blue kitchen plates under the mistaken belief that they are genuine Wedgwood. The contrast reveals that genuine connoisseurship requires knowledge rather than reckless optimism.

CHAPTER VIII → CHAPTER IX

Unexpected financial collapse transforms a passive hobby into an urgent…

News arrives from Pebbly Pit that a catastrophic mountain landslide has destroyed the Grizzly Slide gold mine machinery and buried the vein, imperiling the Brewster family ranch. Refusing to succumb to panic, Polly resolves to transform her antique collecting into a self-sustaining business venture alongside Eleanor. Scouring New Jersey homesteads, they acquire rare Revolutionary War textiles and secure key auction leads in Parsippany to build their commercial inventory.

CHAPTER X → CHAPTER XII

Personal ambitions clash when romantic suitors interrupt professional focus

Tom Latimer arrives in New York determined to win Polly's hand, asserting himself forcefully against rival suitor Jack Baxter during an outing to a Broadway theater. As holiday social gatherings bring together Paul Stewart, Eleanor, and their circle of western and city friends, romantic rivalries escalate. Polly finds herself forced to navigate emotional entanglements and social pressure without losing sight of her determination to establish financial self-reliance.

CHAPTER XIII → CHAPTER XV

Firm boundaries protect career goals from premature domestic compromises

Visiting Tom while he recovers from a severe cold, Polly presents her official business card as a professional decorator affiliated with the Ashby Shops. When Tom misinterprets her supportive gestures as an engagement agreement, Polly firmly establishes a strict two-year boundary devoted exclusively to building her business before entertaining marriage proposals. Securing her first major design client, Mrs. Courtney, Polly launches her commercial enterprise on her own terms.

CHAPTER XVI → CHAPTER XVII

Book

Polly's Business Venture

Financial independence and ambition triumph over societal expectations and romantic pressure when crisis strikes a young woman's fortune.

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@spot #romance #antiques #independence #fortune
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