As he got back to his own place, his college roommate was just returning from lunch, and Josiah waved as he saw him. Henry Orson was one of his oldest friends, and he enjoyed the time they spent together every summer. They had been valued friends to each other since their college days, and Henry was a man of substance, whom everyone admired.

“How was lunch?” Josiah asked him. They were both good-looking men, and had always been able to have all the women they wanted, but were responsible about it. They never led women on nor took advantage of them. Henry had been engaged two years before and had been seriously disappointed when his fiancée fell in love with a younger man, a boy her own age. And he had had no serious involvements since, which made all the Newport mothers hopeful, as they were about Josiah.

“Boring,” Henry said honestly. “How was yours?” Henry found many social gatherings tedious and preferred discussing business with other serious men to flirting with young girls.

“I had a picnic with a young lady who wants to dissect a human cadaver,” Josiah said, grinning, and Henry laughed out loud.

“Jesus,” Henry said, looking amused and impressed, and pretending to be frightened. “She sounds dangerous. Stay away from her!”

“Don’t worry,” Josiah said, laughing, as they walked into the house together, “I will.”

The two men played cards for the rest of the afternoon, while discussing the state of the financial world, which was Henry’s passion. It was a subject that made him tedious to women but interesting to men, since he was extremely knowledgeable and had an intelligent perspective, and Josiah was always happy to talk to him. He had gotten Henry a job at Annabelle’s father’s bank several years before, and he was extremely respected by his colleagues and superiors. Although less sociable than Josiah, he had done very well at the bank too. Henry had never met Annabelle or Consuelo, but Josiah promised to introduce him to them during his stay in Newport, as Henry shook his head, while frowning at his cards.