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security guards and the raving lunatic who had ruined her ceremony. Ditto with Lou, who was also MIA.
    Feeling like a deer caught in headlights, Kelsey looked out at the whole auditorium, which was now half empty. The roar of the voices of those who left could still be heard coming from the lobby, and those who remained were perched in their seats and looking up at Kelsey, unsure, as if they were too polite to leave but hoping she was about to dismiss them.
    Finally, she took a deep breath and said the only thing that came to mind. “I’m so sorry about all of this. I suppose we’ll have to speak with the caterers about what they put in the punch.”
    Her joke landed a few chuckles, but mostly the crowd looked antsy and ready to bolt. Growing more serious, Kelsey continued.
    â€œObviously, there is no truth to that man’s allegations. I’m not sure what he was hoping to achieve here, but rest assured we’ll get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, maybe we should go ahead and try to wrap things up. I apologize that our ceremony has been cut short.”
    Glancing down at her notes, Kelsey tried to decide what parts—if any—of her talk she could salvage. “Before I was interrupted,” she said, lifting her eyes and looking out at the audience, “I was telling the story of my great-grandmother, Adele Brennan. Why don’t we just jump ahead to the part of that story that, to me, most clearly demonstrates her tremendous gifts and talents as a businessperson.”
    She went on to tell that part of her tale, how Adele’s husband, Edwin, was happy to be the behind-the-scenes administrator and facilitator while Adele was the star rainmaker. “They made quite a pair, and between the two of them managed to keep this company afloat through the crash of nineteen twenty-nine and the Great Depression.”
    Scanning the faces in the room, Kelsey was pleased to see that she seemed to have regained their full attention. She continued.
    â€œWhen this company was at its lowest point, it was Adele’s idea to invest in businesses run by women, immigrants, and minorities. That’s part of what helped save Brennan & Tate at a time when other investment firms were going belly up all around them. No other company would take a risk onthese types of businesses, but my great-grandmother knew her roots and knew who to believe in. With that vision, not only did she and Edwin bring this place through some difficult years, but they also gave a chance to so many who came to them for financial help. For the second time in her life, Adele had been brought down to nothing and found the will and strength to survive and ultimately thrive. Her legacy is still with us today.”
    At that, the audience surprised Kelsey by bursting into enthusiastic applause. Smiling, she waited for the applause to wind down, and then she added, “It’s in the spirit of that legacy that I’d like to make the following announcement on behalf of the Adele Brennan Tate Foundation. My great-grandmother created the foundation when I was just a little girl, but I well remember her enthusiasm for its goal of empowering women in business. On tables out in the lobby, you probably saw some reports about many of the good works the foundation has been able to do. Now I’m thrilled to announce their newest effort: The Adele Brennan Tate Scholarship Fund, which will provide up to ten substantial scholarships per year to young women who demonstrate academic excellence in business-related courses and clear evidence of an entrepreneurial or investment-related spirit.”
    More applause, and though Kelsey was still devastated by the bizarre turn of events, she was glad at least that she’d managed to get to the main part of the ceremony anyway.
    â€œI know this has been one of the more, uh, unique events you’ve probably been to this week,” she quipped, “but I hope what you remember most