ABSTRACT
As it turned out, Frank kept his promise. From the boat Lillian caught sight of him standing alongside the Mollers to help her disembark. But it was readily apparent to the Bunkers and Mollers that Frank and Lillian's feelings were mutual. After several days in Boston, Frank and Lillian went their separate ways—Frank staying east and Lillian returning to the West Coast. If William and Annie had any apprehensions, they could also see that Lillian, the child most protective of family rituals, wanted Frank Gilbreth to be part of her most intimate world. Shortly after his marriage proposal Frank gave Lillian a diamond ring from Tiffany's in New York City, but he could not give it in person. Some might say that Frank's preferences resembled a "companionate marriage," a union in which a couple enjoyed mutual sexual attraction, respect, and emotional support. That she accommodated his rigorous demands suggests that Lillian felt fulfilment in playing a part in Frank's vision.
