“Ingrid,” he said, coming up beside her. “May I speak with you for a moment?”
She blinked a couple of times, as though coming back to herself from wherever she had been a moment ago.
“Yes, of course,” she said.
Cassian motioned for James and the others to keep going.
“I’ll meet up with you in the saloon,” he said. “Go on.”
Once he and Ingrid were alone in the corridor, Cassian found one of her hands.
“I know we already talked about everything that transpired back on theTitanic, but I wanted to tell you one more time howverysorry I am for your loss, Ingrid. And I’m sorry for breaking my promise to you as well. I’m sorry that I couldn’t save Jacob.”
“Oh, Cassian, I know you must have wanted to,” she said. “It’s not your fault that things unfolded as they did.”
“Still, I wish that there was something I could do.” He paused to think for a moment. Perhaps there was. “Ingrid, your husband was a wonderful man. He was such a warm and caring person. And he was so impossibly enamored with you. I’m sure he left you plenty of money to survive on, but I’d love to help take care of you and your child moving forward. Once we’re settled back in the city, if there’s anything you need, anything at all, I sincerely hope that you will let me know. Ethel and I both care for you so much. If I can speak for her for a moment, I’ll say that I know for a fact that she would love it if the two of you could remain friends. And I would love it if we could remain friends as well.”
Ingrid smiled up at him fondly, though her eyes still held such pain.
“Thank you,” she said. She patted his hand with her free one. “I’d very much love to remain friends with the both of you. You and Ethel are such wonderful souls. Absolutely wonderful.”
Cassian smiled back. Yes, he thought so, too.
Cassian squeezed Ingrid’s hand once before letting go. Then, he offered her his arm.
“May I escort you to the saloon?” he asked.
Wordlessly, Ingrid nodded, a smile still clinging to her lips, and linked her arm with his. And Cassian prayed that his presence might offer her some stability.
Now and for the rest of their lives.
Later in the evening, theCarpathiapulled up to Pier 54 in New York. From the safety of the ship, Cassian, James, Ethel, John, Helena, and Ingrid all looked out at the massive crowd of people waiting for the survivors in the cold. And when the ship finally docked, they and everyone else soon received permission to exit via the gangway. Immediately, the other first- and second-classpassengers who had been saved, along with theTitanic’s rescued crew members, circled around them and began to leave. Ingrid and Helena left, too.
But Cassian, James, Ethel, and John stayed back for a bit while the crowd thinned. Finally, after some time passed, Cassian felt ready. Before stepping out into the rain, though, he caught James’s eye and winked. James smiled back, and Cassian’s stomach swooped as his heart fluttered in the most wonderful, fantastical, nonsensical way.
How incredible it was that love like this was real. And not only real, but really his, too.
Putting on a look of practiced poise and false stoicism, Cassian lifted his chin high and hoped that the cloak of night might conceal the blush he now felt clinging to his cheeks. After a breath, he offered his arm to Ethel, and then, together, the four of them walked out into the rain and cold to start their lives anew.
Chapter Thirty
James
August 10, 1912
Descending the illustrious carved staircase in the Livingston mansion, James blew out a nervous breath and smoothed his lapels. Once he reached the bottom, he rounded the corner and bounded down the hallway to head for Cassian’s study, pausing to check one of the longcase clocks on the way. Any minute now, Maggie would arrive. James had opted not to meet her at the pier since seeing large bodies of water still made him nervous from time to time. He’d have hated for their first in-person interaction in months to be sullied by one of his shaking fits. So, he and Cassian had suggested that Mr. Quinn take Cassian’s Rolls-Royce to fetch her.
But the fact that James had remained back at Cassian’s house meant that he’d had a whole heap of extra time to fret over everything and anything having to do with Maggie’s move to the States.
He’d made what would soon be her bed twice now, changing the sheets from a plain pattern to a pretty floral one and then back to a solid color. He’d bathed, completed a couple of chores, and then bathed again. And, last but not least, he’d spent a full half hour fixing his hair. At least he hadn’t needed to choose his outfitfor the occasion. Cassian had picked it out in the morning, as he always did.
And James liked it that way.
Now, though, James had to make sure that Cassian was ready for Maggie’s arrival too. He wanted their first meeting to be absolutely perfect.
“Are you ready?” James asked as he entered Cassian’s study.
Cassian was seated at his desk, scribbling something in a notebook. He looked up at James with a slightly befuddled expression.
