"Have Bordie drive you down," Charles suggested. "You can both stay at the Waldorf."
Bordie put down his paper. "I have no intention of returning to Manhattan; I just arrived in Newport yesterday evening. And I'm certainly not staying at the Waldorf or any other hotel if I can possibly help it."
Daisy huffed out her exasperation. "That's because you don't have to. You can stay at the Union Club, or the Princeton Club, or any of your many clubs and be as comfortable as if you were in your own home, which, I might remind you, is covered in tarps, construction dust, and heaven knows what else."
"She's got you there," added Charles, earning him a sour look from Bordie.
"I suppose I could stay at the YMCA, but Miss Gleason might balk. Private secretaries do not stay at the Y."
"And neither do the wives of bankers," Bordie retorted.
"If I had a club to go to, which I don't, I'd certainly stay—"
She broke off. "Oh, Bordie, you're a genius."
Bordie, who had just returned to his paper, put it down again. "I shudder to think..." he began.
"A club," Daisy exclaimed. "Women should have a club of their own. Just like the men do. A place where we can stay overnight, have parcels delivered, write letters, make telephone calls, enjoy dinner...that's exactly what we need. How clever of you to suggest it.
"I think I'll telephone Kate Brice; I bet she'll be interested. Hmm, and Alva Belmont. And Maud Bull, and Emmie..."
Bordie laughed. "That's quite a bevy for an afternoon of errands."
"Sounds more like a tea party," Charles agreed.
"Oh, no," Daisy said. "Not a party, a meeting. We're going to establish a women's club. I don't know why I didn't think of it before." Daisy whisked out of the room, calling for her secretary and leaving the two men, their papers forgotten, staring after her and no doubt wondering what on earth Daisy was up to now.
Daisy was up early the next morning, making lists of prospective members of the club. Her mind raced ahead as she imagined all the comforts and efficiency a club would bring to so many of them. After all, while the men were running banks and railroads and corporations, women kept houses with numerous staffs and children running smoothly, along with organizing all of their philanthropic endeavors. It was only fair that these entrepreneurs of society should have a club of their own.
As soon as Miss Gleason arrived, Daisy put her to work on the next week's schedule and went upstairs to fetch her hat.
An hour later, almost the acceptable hour for morning calls, Daisy took the carriage down to the Astors' Beaulieu cottage, where Kate Brice was still abed.
"I'm so sorry, did I wake you?" Daisy asked, bustling into the boudoir and smiling at a bleary-eyed Kate.
"Not at all," Kate said on a yawn and pushed herself up to rest against a mound of pillows. "Have you breakfasted? Coffee?"
Daisy's smile broadened. Leave it to Kate to rise to any occasion, any time. Friendly and persuasive, Kate could always be counted on to do her bit.
"I've had a glorious idea," Daisy said, sitting on the edge of the satin coverlet.
While the maid brought and poured coffee, Daisy explained, "Only a germ of an idea, but a club, just for women."
Kate's eyebrows lifted. "A club?"
"Yes, for women, but run in the same manner as the men's clubs."
"Cigars and port?" asked Kate, only slightly tongue in cheek.
"Certainly... Well, perhaps not cigars. But that's not what I mean. Only that it would operate along the same order as the men's clubs."
"And what do you know of the operations of men's clubs?"
"Well, I imagine they're run on the same basis as any good hotel, or household, for that matter. And though they may be the secret bastions of the male creatures, one can imagine. Here's my plan..."
