Caroline shook her head. “Everything is wrong. Positively everything.” She began to cry in earnest and buried her face in her hands. Elise sat beside her on the piano bench and put her arms around her sister.
“What has happened?” Papa asked Uncle James.
Her uncle crossed his arms. “It would seem Caroline has left her husband.”
Elise’s mouth dropped open. “Whatever for? I thought you were in love.”
Caroline sobbed. “He canceled our wedding trip because he said he had an emergency that obligated him to stay.” She began to wail. “He’s hideous and awful.”
“I’ve tried to tell her that she must go back to him. The poor man has been here several times, demanding to see her, and she won’t even talk to him.”
Papa’s jaw was clenched tight. Elise had never seen him so angry. She wanted to pat his arm and reassure him that everything would be all right, but she could sense that it wouldn’t be well received.
“Why did he cancel the trip, Caroline?”
“He wouldn’t tell me,” she said, looking away as she often did when she lied. Elise knew she was deliberately keeping the truth from them, but why?
“Jim, did you ask him why?” Papa asked Uncle James.
“I did, but he said it was personal and none of my concern.”
All gazes went back to Caroline, who was now sobbing into her handkerchief. Elise knew they’d get nowhere with her. She had told what portion of the story she was willing to share. Despite Caroline’s deception, Elise could sense something was very wrong.
It was late. Very late, and Booker was very drunk. He had made his way from one disreputable bar to another, hoping no one would recognize him or desire his company. Oswego wasn’t very far from Buffalo, where he was wanted by the law. And he had absolutely no doubt there were wanted posters up for his arrest. Thankfully his beard was coming in nice and thick.
He hadn’t intended to stay on theMary Elisefor the return east, but then he’d killed Rummy Carlson in Duluth and knew he couldn’t stay there. So he’d stayed on with theMary Elise, thinking perhaps he could simply hide away on her while the others went to town, but the need for alcohol was much too strong.
He purposefully didn’t come back to the ship early. He hoped by the time he returned that everyone but the watchman would be fast asleep. With any luck, he could slip into bed unnoticed. But luck had never been his ally.
“Who goes there?” the watch called out.
It sounded like young Tom. Booker straightened and smiled. “Duran.”
Tom stepped out of the shadows. “Hey, you’re back really late.”
“Yes, well, the evening got away from me.” Duran pusheddown his anger at having to answer to this runt of a child. “I’m going to bed.”
Tom said nothing, and Duran figured he’d gotten away with it by the time he reached the forecastle entrance. But unfortunately, Nick Clark stood there as if awaiting Duran’s appearance.
“Duran, you’ve been warned about returning to theMary Elisedrunk.”
“Who says I’m drunk?”
“I do. I watched you approach the ship and walk across the deck. You’ve clearly been drinking.”
Duran struggled to focus. “Well, what if I am? You can’t dictate what a fella can do when he’s off the ship.”
“No, you’re right. I can’t. But I can enforce the rules when on board. Captain Wright said there’s to be no alcohol and no drunkenness. You’ll be on extra cleanup duty this week, and this is your last warning. If you show up drunk again, you’ll be fired once and for all.”
“You think you’re in charge now, is that it?”
“I’m the first mate. In the absence of the captain, Iamin charge. Captain and Miss Elise sent word that they’re staying with Mr. Monroe tonight. They won’t be back until it’s time for Miss Elise to start working on breakfast, which I believe will be about two hours from now.”
“I’m going to bed.”
“As long as you’re back up when the bells chime.” Nick smiled. “As I said, I believe that’s in just about two hours.”
Duran had had enough. He turned and took a swing at Nick, but in his drunkenness, he telegraphed it so clearly that Nick had plenty of time to get out of the way.
