"Why not?" becomes a Rosamund's motto when, at the age of 23, she becomes independent. She's been brought up by an uncle who hemmed her in with restrictions and expectations, and her other family members aren't much better. But when her uncle dies, she seizes the opportunity to leave town and try something new.
This seems to be a recurring theme for Margaret Widdemer: young girl who doesn't like the way her life is going suddenly has the opportunity to chase happiness.

Rosamund has a long list of wishes, some of which seem frivolous or unnecessary, but she attacks them all with her motto, "Why not?"

She buys a house from a rather intimidating man named John Squire. He lives next door to her. Like her relatives, he too seems to have pretty strict ideas as to what she should and shouldn't be doing. He's pretty quiet, but somehow he ends up involved in all of her little troubles and situations. Hmm, wonder why? For most of the book she wavers between appreciating his kindness and resenting his viewpoints. Also, she has the impression that he's approaching middle age...but that impression is not correct!

Rosamund adopts a child, because one of her wishes is to have someone around who will look up to her. She also helps out the up-and-coming young inventor Jerrold, whom she sees in the role of her "knight," another thing on her list of wishes.
She also advises a girl named Sydney, who is terribly frustrated with the way she's being prodded into the life of a society lady. Sydney's preferred pursuits are much more tomboyish. This is where the always awkward, never enjoyable, girl-dresses-as-boy plot device comes in. But of course it doesn't last. It does, however, create one of those silly misunderstandings that make Rosamund's life more complicated.
Rosamund also has a plan to support herself by telling fortunes for tourists. She doesn't really get into this, and whatever little bit she does try is obviously just fake little platitudes (kind of like the papers inside fortune cookies) or things she already knows to be true.
Margaret Widdemer is a really engaging writer. Even when I can pick apart her stories and identify some things I don't like, here I am still giving it 4 stars. ( )