“You’ll be delighted to know it will be at least three thousand square feet bigger than this house. In fact, it will be one of the biggest in Alexandria,” he declared proudly.

But not the biggest in Charlottesville, I thought, probably the size of a few closets put together in Foxworth Hall.

Nevertheless, I decided to take advantage of my father’s buoyant mood and brought up the subject of my wardrobe.

“You introduced me to society, but I still have the everyday clothing of a little girl.”

“Yes, you do need new clothes,” he said.

At the moment, I thought I could ask for the moon and he would buy the ladder to reach it.

My mother turned from me to my father and shook her head. She looked like she was going to burst into tears. “All these changes coming so fast. I am losing my breath. It makes my heart palpitate.”

“Now, now, Rosemary, nothing is happening overnight. It seems like Corrine has become a young woman in a matter of hours, but we both know it’s been happening for some time. I’ll set aside some money for a charge account at Hester’s. They’re one of our best bank customers. I think maybe all of us could use some new everyday things. I can’t have my girls looking ordinary with all this on the horizon. Appearances when we step up to this level are very important, as the Wexlers have shown us.”

“I was thinking of having some private art lessons this summer, Daddy,” I said, deciding to push my advantage. “I’d like to do something sensible with my time.”

“Sensible?” my mother said. “You call wasting money on some passing fancy like art sensible? We’ve been discussing you while you were away on this fruitless, wasteful trip to Charlottesville. Your father has a better suggestion when it comes to your time.” She looked to him and nodded, giving him the floor.

I turned to my father. Somehow his talking about me seemed like a betrayal. I was the one with whom he kept secrets, not my mother.

“Which is more reason for you to have an improved wardrobe, Corrine,” he said quickly, to lessen the impact of whatever boulder they were launching in my direction.

“What?” I asked, now the one who was taking deep breaths.

“I’d like you to come work at the bank. I have an opening for a receptionist. You’ll greet customers looking to open accounts and get loans. My secretary will educate you in the basic information, and you’ll direct the prospective customer to the right person. You’ll make some money to continue buying yourself some nice things and on the way learn about financial matters. More women are getting involved in the business world today. You might take to it.”