She sighed. “I know. I was just hoping he’d be here. You said yourself that this might be our last trip to Duluth, given all the extra problems and the changing weather.”
“The weather’s been pretty good for November. Thankfully, we’ve not had any major storms.”
“Yet. But we both know they’re coming, and so too the ice.”
“Relax,” he said, patting her arm. “I’ve already arranged with Nick to join us in Duluth if he returns and learns that the ports are closed. He’ll take a train to Duluth and winter there, helping me make further repairs to theMary Elise.”
Elise felt her fears ease. “That was a very smart thing, Papa. Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Can’t have my future son-in-law lost, now, can I?”
“Why do you call him that?” Instead of joyous thoughts, Elise remembered Duran’s threats.
“Because I believe if he has his way, he’ll be just that. Oh, look. The men are bringing your sister.” He nudged Elise’s arm and quickly moved aside for Ollie and Sam, who were carrying a very large clothing trunk. “You go ahead to the house with her and see that she gets unpacked first thing.” He chuckled and pulled Elise with him down the gangplank.
Uncle James looked surprised by the huge trunk. “Are you planning a lengthy stay?” he asked.
Elise’s father leaned close. “Your niece is in that trunk, lest her husband have spies watching for her to disembark.”
Uncle James’s eyes widened. “Well, I’ll be. Very smart of you, because Nelson has been nothing but a problem. He brought the authorities to my house, and I had no choice but to allow them to search it from top to bottom. When they didn’t find Caroline and I assured them she wasn’t there, Nelson was livid. Apparently, his father will not allow him his grandfather’s inheritance until Nelson can prove he’s still married. Rumors abound, since they’ve seen nothing of their daughter-in-law.”
“Sounds like this will be a very difficult situation,” Elise declared, leaning up on tiptoe to kiss her uncle. “I’m going to go with Caroline and see her carefully managed. I’ll see the two of you at the house.”
Booker watched Elise leave theMary Elisefor her uncle’s carriage. Her ability to escape him had been carefully crafted, it would seem. Throughout the trip to Toronto, she’d managed to keep herself almost constantly in her father’s company, and if not his, then one of the trusted crewmen. Duran had no possible need to speak with her privately, and so there had been no opportunity to further threaten her, nor to get her alone. She had even stopped her evening strolls, which would have afforded him the perfect opportunity to steal a kiss or perhaps more.
The captain and his brother-in-law headed for the deckhouse. No doubt to speak with Elise’s sister, Caroline. He decided to maneuver himself somewhere nearby to overhear their conversation. Once he had as much information as possible, he intended to hunt down Nelson Worthington while they were in Oswego. Elise would regret not cooperating with him.
He headed to the deckhouse on the pretense of getting coffee, but when he arrived, he found the kitchen deserted and the coffeepot nearly empty. The captain and Mr. Monroe were no doubt in the captain’s cabin. Booker eased his way toward the door. He figured if anyone said anything or caught him at it, he could say he was there to ask the captain something.
The men were definitely inside the room. He could hear their voices but not very well. He pressed his ear against the door.
“Nick telegraphed that he’d join you tomorrow.”
“It’ll work out perfectly,” the captain replied. “The repairs shouldn’t take more than a day or two. Ollie talked to the shop, and they believe they have the parts we need.”
“That is good news. The sooner you can get out of here, the better.”
“I agree. Did you make arrangement for the offloading?”
“It’s all set. I have—”
Duran heard someone outside the deckhouse and quickly made his way back to the kitchen area. He grabbed some wood to put in the stove just as Ollie came down the steps.
“Coffee?” Duran asked. “I was gonna make a pot.”
“Sounds good. Where’s the captain?”
Duran shrugged. “Nobody here but me.” Some laughter came from the captain’s cabin just then. “Well, I stand corrected.”
“No problem.” The big Swede went to the door and knocked. “Captain?”
Wright opened the door. “What is it, Ollie?”
They began to discuss the repairs, and Duran felt it was impossible to hang around much longer than it took to make coffee. Besides, he was supposed to be working at the offloading of the machinery by helping with the hatches.
He thought of one last ploy after stirring up the fire and putting in a few small pieces of wood. He went to Elise’s cabin door and listened for a moment. There wasn’t the slightest sound.
“What are you needing, Duran?” Captain Wright surprised him by asking.
