Grace and I shared a smile. There were things we knew that we could never tell a soul, but I was happy we had each other to share the knowledge.
“You speak of theTitanic?” Luc asked.
“Indeed.” Captain Barends took a sip of his wine. “A feat of engineering genius.”
“We hope to travel home on her maiden voyage,” Luc told him.
“You will be one of the lucky ones.”
As the meal progressed, I kept my eye on Luc and Grace. They were not rude to one another but remained guarded andcool. I wished Grace would speak up to show Luc she wasn’t prudish and critical. Ever since she met him, she had been just as aloof as him. I wanted her to show him her kind, thoughtful, and wise side.
But she didn’t appear to care what he thought of her.
“I do hope everyone plans to stay for the dance tonight,” Captain Barends said, looking around the table. “Monsieur Voland?”
Luc laid down his fork, finished with his grilled salmon. “I do not believe I will attend the dance.”
Disappointment pinched at my heart, but I put a smile on my face when the captain turned to me.
“And you, Miss Hope? Will you save a dance for me?”
I didn’t want to stay at the dance if Luc wouldn’t be there. Yet I couldn’t refuse the captain.
“Of course.”
“And you, Miss Grace,” Captain Barends asked my sister. “Will you attend the dance?”
Grace looked beautiful in a cream-colored satin gown with a lace bodice and sleeves. She wore long white gloves, and her blond curls were caught up in a low chignon with a wide lace band around the crown of her head. Pearl earrings dangled from her ears, and strands of pearls were draped around her neck. She was stunning—and her ensemble complemented her gentle spirit. As a child, I hated how calm Grace seemed. I often bullied her into a temper so I wouldn’t always be the one getting in trouble. Neither of us had changed much, and her gentleness was still one of her best qualities—one I had grown to appreciate over the years.
“I’m not certain,” Grace said. “I have a lot of writing to do.”
“Oh, yes.” Captain Barends’s kind blue eyes took on a shine. “I heard you are a journalist for theNew York Globe. How marvelous.”
The conversation shifted to Grace and her writing as dessertand coffee were served. The captain had just as many questions for my sister as he’d had for Luc and me, and the rest of the captain’s guests seemed intrigued by Grace’s work. Just like aviation, it was strange for a woman to work in a position usually dominated by men.
I listened as Grace described her articles and the undercover work she had done to unmask the corruption and danger in J. B. Thurston’s factories. Even as she talked about the man, a knot formed in my chest, and I was happy she was defending her work—despite his attempt to bully our parents. We still had until May 1st to come up with the down payment for their orphanage, and I was more determined than ever to succeed at our goal.
As she spoke, pride swelled within me. I glanced at Luc, hoping he appreciated this side of her, but it was hard to read his expression. His gaze was riveted to her, as if he wasn’t aware of anything else.
“You are a brave woman, Miss Grace,” Captain Barends said, shaking his head in awe. “I don’t believe I would have the courage to stand up against a man like Thurston.”
“If no one is brave enough to challenge powerful people, then nothing will change,” Grace said, conviction in her voice.
“Aren’t you afraid?” Luc asked her, watching her intently.
I glanced from him to Grace, eager for them to interact.
She looked at him, her expressive eyes full of conviction. “Not when I think of the fear that some people face as they enter a factory or go home to a dilapidated tenement. My fear of being bullied by powerful people could not compare to the daily life-or-death situations they face. I only hope I can continue to write investigative pieces that bring attention to their plight.”
“You speak of powerful people who would like nothing more than to silence you,” Luc continued. “Or hurt the people you love.”
He knew of Mr. Thurston’s plans to take our parents’ orphanage. Was he goading her? Or truly concerned?
Grace looked down at her plate, the first hint of fear in her brown eyes, and I knew she was thinking of Mama and Daddy. But when she lifted her face, I saw steely resolve. “I know the risks I take. And if my parents have taught me anything, it’s to fight for what I believe to be right. If I can make a difference in the lives of people who do not have a voice, then it is worth the risk. I will deal with the bullies as they come.”
They held each other’s gazes as the table grew silent under the weight of Grace’s comment.
“All of us make sacrifices,” I said, almost too quickly, my cheeks warming when everyone looked at me. “W-what I mean is that each of us must sacrifice something for our callings. Just think of aviation. It’s one of the most dangerous jobs in the world—even President Taft has applauded the death of pilots as a necessary sacrifice for the advancement of aviation. But we know how important it is to keep flying, don’t we, Luc? If we don’t take the risk, aviation will never be safe for anyone. And that is our hope. That everyone can fly one day.”
