“I know, Papa.” She paused, trying to think of how to explain. “It’s just difficult sometimes to know what I should and shouldn’t do. Like with Caroline. I’d like to be there for her as well, but she pushes me away.”
“You aren’t her mother, so stop trying to be. Go back to being her sister, and I’m sure she’ll be happy to have you.”
“You’re right. I know that. She said as much. Maybe we should stop by Uncle James’s place and see if she’s written.”
“We can certainly do that, but what of my haircut?”
Elise laughed. “What’s another couple of weeks?”
Her father signaled a hired cab and waited for the driver to circle around to pick them up. He gave the address, then settled back in the carriage with Elise. “The weather’s going to change. It’s probably hardly noticeable to most, but my joints can always tell.”
“Mama used to say you were better than any weather station.”
“Probably a good thing for a ship’s captain, but rather hard on my body.”
“Papa, do you ever think about giving up theMary Elise?”
“It might surprise you, but I have. Everything changed for me when I lost your mother. The joy is gone. We sailed together as a team. We were one, and now a part of me is gone.”
Elise immediately felt a sense of guilt. She had failed miserably if he were considering giving up the ship.
“But you know, after our talk the other day, I began to consider this from another angle. Your mother is always with me in a sense. I have our memories, and I have you and your sister. In so many ways, she will always be near me. I need to focus on that. She’ll never really be gone.”
“But still, you might leave off sailing?”
“I don’t know. For the time being, all is well, but there could come a day. My future isn’t as fixed as I once thought it.”
His reply left her feeling unbalanced. Elise had never considered the lakes not being a part of her daily life.
The carriage pulled up in front of the Monroe house. Her father helped Elise from the conveyance, then paid the driver.
“I hope we don’t upset Mrs. Cavendish by showing up unannounced,” Papa said in a teasing tone.
“I’m sure we will, but we are the black sheep of the family. It’s to be expected.” Elise grinned at the thought of the housekeeper huffing and puffing her displeasure.
Papa knocked on the door. “I guess we’ll know soon enough.”
Mrs. Cavendish opened the door. “We were expecting you. Please come in.”
Elise looked at her father and shrugged.
Mrs. Cavendish took Papa’s hat and Elise’s gloves. “They’re gathered in the music room. I’ll go announce you.”
“Thank you,” Papa said. He returned Elise’s shrug. “I don’t know what that was all about.”
They followed Mrs. Cavendish to the music room and waited for her introduction, even though it was completely unnecessary. Uncle James came to greet them.
“We were glad to hear theMary Elisewas in port. Come join us. We’ve actually been waiting for you. I sent my man Cobert for you some time ago, but it seems you’d already left the ship.”
“Yes, we had a few things to tend to. You act as if something is wrong,” Papa said, his expression turning worrisome.
“There is something wrong.” Uncle James stepped back to reveal Caroline sitting at the piano.
“Caroline!” Elise couldn’t help herself. She rushed across the room to embrace her sister. “How are you?”
Caroline looked from Elise to their father. Tears came to her eyes. “Terrible. I’m just terrible.”
“What’s happened?” This came from Papa before Elise could speak.
