June 1904 | Artful Deception | Phineas & Gladys
Finding clothing suitable for the vernissage was, in short, frustrating. The event was, more than the art, about the people. Who was there, who was suspiciously absent, and what was everyone wearing. It was exactly the type of event Phineas could have avoided, were he not part of a plan to embarrass the journalists who would most certainly be swarming.
Josiah had, yet again, saved him by gifting him a new suit clearly out of his price range. Phineas declined such a gift, especially one with no purpose other than to cover the fact that he was quite unequal to his peers. But Josiah had insisted, and Phineas resolved then to repay his friend (though he did have to wonder how exactly Josiah had managed it with an even more meager income than his own).
Choosing to Apparate to Gladys' (it was, after all, far cleaner and quicker than any other mode), he arrived slightly before he was expected, hoping that would not be too much of an inconvenience.
The bell rang as he entered the shop, and he began examining a broom that was on display while waiting for her to appear.
Miss Gladys Boothby and Mr. Phineas Black