“I can.” She glanced across the deck of the boat. “All seems well.”
“Yes. It’s a quiet and lovely night. Most of the crews have gone off to drink or find entertainment. One of the pastors came by to say there was a harvest party at the church and the men were invited. I think Tom was particularly excited.”
Elise smiled. “He’s a good man, our young Tom. I’ve always enjoyed his company, although when he first showed up, he had a lot of anger.”
“Well, I’m sure he wasn’t happy about being forced to work for the Mary Elise or go to prison. A fella likes to choose his own way.”
“He was given a choice,” Elise replied.
“True, but you must admit it was very limited.”
She turned toward the deckhouse. “Why don’t you let me take the tray below? I’ll put it in the stove’s warming receptacle.”
Nick chuckled and held fast to the tray. “The stove has gone cold, so it won’t do any good.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. It’s probably just as well. Papa said there’s some sort of delay and we might not get out of here tomorrow.”
“Well, if that’s the case, maybe you’d show me around Duluth.”
Elise thought for only a moment before replying. “I would be happy to do that. Meanwhile, why don’t you eat, and I’ll wait so I can take back the tray and dishes.”
Nick squatted on the deck and set down the tray. “Will you join me?” He sat as if having a picnic and pulled the towel from the tray. “It looks wonderful.”
Elise knelt. “I’d be happy to keep you company. Maybe you can tell me more about your life.”
“Not if my mouth is full. I think you should tell me about your life.”
She shrugged and tried to think of something she could share. “I don’t know what to say that you don’t already know. I grew up on ships. My father has been a captain for as long as I can remember. He worked his way up, but by the time I came along, he was already captain. He worked for several companies until Uncle James decided there was good money in shipping. About then, Papa had saved almost enough to buy the Mary Elise—a brand-new schooner. She’s his pride and joy.”
“I can see why. She’s a worthy vessel, tried and true. I worked my way up as well. The Polaris was my first ship to command. The company I worked for was out of Chicago, and they were impressed with my work history and willing to let me take charge. I did them proud—until the accident, of course.”
“What happened? To cause the accident? I’ve only heard bits and pieces.”
Nick frowned. “I’d really rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind. One day I promise to tell you all about it.”
“Of course.” She saw the sorrow in his eyes. He had lost men on his first command. How awful it must have been.
“Tell me more about you.” He smiled, then put a forkful of food in his mouth. His expression clearly showed his approval of the casserole.
“I love to read.” She smiled and decided to sit on the deck as Nick was already doing. She swept her skirt around her and relaxed in the moonlight. “Especially the Bible. Papa and I try to do that every evening. I enjoy his thoughts about what we’ve read, and if we don’t have a clear understanding of a passage, I note it. I write down our thoughts and questions, and then, when we’re in town, I’ll go consult the pastor. He usually has an answer, and if not, he makes a promise to do more research. When we return, he always stands ready with an explanation and understanding.”
“That’s a smart way to do it. You don’t just leave it and wonder what it means.”
“No. We do our best to search it out. I’ve learned a lot that way. Especially regarding the culture and language of the times. It’s all quite fascinating, and Pastor Johnson is so good to help. He went to Harvard and learned a great deal, including Greek and Latin. Then he made friends with a local rabbi and was trained in Hebrew. He’s brilliant.”
“That’s amazing. I had no idea. Johnson was the one who came to invite the men to the party.”
Elise nodded. “That doesn’t surprise me. He often comes to the ships with invitations. He also prays every morning with those who are going out on the water. Even the toughest and least God-fearing captain has come to enjoy the good pastor and readily accept his prayers.”
They fell silent for a moment as Nick dug into the apple dessert.
“Mmm, this is delicious. But then, I’ve never had any complaints with your cooking. I have to laugh when I think of us cooking for ourselves while you were in Oswego. It doesn’t compare, to be sure. I’m glad you weren’t here to see how miserably we failed.”
“It’s nice to be appreciated. My mother taught me. She believed hardworking men needed a good meal to keep them content. She once told me that more problems are made by hungry men than for any other reason. Do you suppose that’s true?”
“I can see it happening.” He finished the dessert and leaned back on his arms. He stretched his feet out in front of him and gazed up into the night skies. “Hunger or love. Both cause a man to set aside his dignity.”
His comment gave her a little shiver. Falling in love with Nick might well cause her to act rather undignified. She shook away the thought. “Well, it’s nearly eight, and I should get back. Papa won’t stay up late, and I certainly don’t need him locking me out.”
She knew he never would, but her nerves had gotten the best of her. Only after she stood did she remember her father’s desire that Nick walk her home. She started to ask Nick, but he spoke first.
“Wait a couple of minutes. My watch is over at eight. Ah, there’s Sam now. Let me go speak to him, and then I’ll walk you home.” He jumped up and started across the deck.
Elise felt relieved that if she ran into Booker Duran again, at least she’d have Nick by her side. She picked up the tray and waited only a minute or so before Nick returned.
He took the tray from her arms. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
She looked up at him in the moonlight and felt something change inside her heart when he smiled down at her. Was this love? Wasn’t it much too soon? She didn’t really even know Nick. Yet the feelings were so strong that she was almost certain he could read them on her face.
With the tray balanced against his side, Nick put his hand on her elbow as they made their way down the ramp to the dock. Once on solid ground again, he let go, and Elise immediately felt the loss.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he said as they made their way back to her house.
“It is. And the walk isn’t far.”
“If I’m not mistaken, this is Minnesota Point.”
“Yes. You’re right. Our cottage is right on the water. Papa can never be far from the lakes. He says lake water flows through his veins instead of blood. He and Mama both loved the water more than land. We even buried Mama in the water. She wanted it that way, and Papa will someday follow. Although I pray it will be a long while yet.”
“And what will you do then?”
She shrugged. “Probably find another ship to cook for. Or maybe I’ll talk Uncle James into letting me captain the Mary Elise.” She laughed at the very thought. “Wouldn’t that be something?”
“And why not? You handled her quite well, as I recall.”
“Yes, but that was in open water. I don’t know how well I’d handle her in tight situations or storms.”
Nick paused mid-step and looked at her. “You’d learn. I’d teach you.” As if realizing he’d suggested they would still be together, he changed the subject. “You’ll have to lead the way. I have no idea where your cottage is except that it looks out on the lake.”
Elise felt another shiver go up her spine. Could it be that she and Nick might have a future together?
Booker Duran sat at the bar, drinking his fourth beer. His hopes for the evening were dwindling. He’d wanted nothing more than a hearty meal, a good woman, and some strong drink. Unfortunately, the food was unsavory compared to what he’d enjoyed on the Mary Elise, no w
oman seemed interested in his charms, and strong drink was only acceptable so long as he was sleeping somewhere other than the Mary Elise tonight.
Of course, it was hard to attract the attention of a woman without also attracting the attention of others around him. He was doing his best to blend in at the crowded bar rather than stand out, so a woman would most likely have to do all the pursuing. Something he wasn’t used to. Still, he couldn’t risk having anyone dwell on him. By now there were probably drawings of him out to the police. A wanted poster might not be posted on every street corner, but the authorities would certainly be notified, and though he could change his name, it didn’t do a thing for identifying him by his face and description.
He tossed back the rest of his beer and got up to leave. There was no sense in remaining. The place was getting rowdier by the minute, and it wouldn’t be long until a fight broke out and the police were called.
Duran left the tavern and kept to the shadows as he headed back to the ship. The smart thing to do would be to head out west or even sign on with an oceangoing vessel, rather than remain in the Great Lakes region. But the latter would confine him and leave him with little freedom to escape if necessary. Heading west was probably the better of the two ideas. Nobody knew him there. If he made it to the coast, maybe he could pan for gold. That idea had always appealed to him. The problem was, he had little money to his name. The Mary Elise paid monthly on the first. Here it was the middle of the month, and he was already broke again.
He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. If only he’d done things differently, he could still be making his living gambling. He wasn’t sorry he’d killed that man, just sorry that it had been done where others had witnessed it. It truly had complicated his life.
Something caught his attention just ahead. A man struggled to stay on his feet. It was clear he was drunk and had little common sense left to him. He was alone in a dark alleyway and obviously incapacitated.
Booker smiled. This should take very little effort, and he wouldn’t even have to kill anyone.
Chapter 11
The Mary Elise had been offloaded of coal and the hold cleaned so they could take on grain. Just after the hold was swept clean, the crew was surprised with an inspection by the Board of Lake Underwriters. The Mary Elise easily passed with an A1 rating. Her hold was solid and showed no cause for concern. Elise was relieved, as she knew her father had some concerns about a particular area. One of the things he had planned to work on that winter was that area, which seemed likely to develop rot.
The grain loading was once again delayed, however. There was some sort of trouble at the grain elevator, but Elise had no idea what had happened. She was, however, glad for extra time to spend with Nick. When he was free later in the morning, they met for a long walk around Duluth.
She took pleasure in his company, as well as in showing him the places she knew. They took the short ferry ride from the Minnesota Point side of the canal, then continued the tour in Duluth.
After a bit of a walk, Elise pointed to a church building. “That’s the church we attend during the winter months. Pastor Johnson and his wife have only been here for a couple of years, but already the congregation loves them. They’re good people, and he teaches solidly from the Bible.”
“That’s a blessing. So many people have been led astray by pastors who don’t preach the Bible.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Elise led him to the train depot. “Mr. Cooke, a wealthy banker, was responsible for seeing that Duluth got the railroad.” They continued to walk parallel to the train tracks. “That building over there—the big white one—is the Northern Pacific Immigrant House. There are hundreds of immigrants who were hired by the railroad. I’ve heard this building will hold over seven hundred men. They live there rent-free, so long as they are working for the railroad. There is another immigrant house on Sixth Avenue at Michigan Street. It’s brand-new, in fact.”
“You seem to know quite a bit about Duluth.”
“I’ve lived here in the winters for over ten years. Caroline and I used to visit all the shops. Of course, there weren’t very many then. Not like now. Things are really growing. Every time I come here, I’m surprised to find more people and stores. I heard from my friend Mina that there are now three jewelry stores. Who could ever need that much jewelry?”
They turned a corner, and she continued. “It’s still not a very pretty town, but I have hope for it. Once they clear all those tree stumps and get more grass planted in the yards of those new houses on the hill, it’ll look a whole lot better. I’m going to plant a bunch of flower bulbs when we get back next trip. The accident made me forget about my plans, but Aunt Martha promised me bulbs from her garden’s abundance.”
They slowed their pace a bit, and when a small restaurant came in sight, Nick pointed. “Why don’t you let me buy you lunch?”
Elise glanced at the café. “All right. I am getting hungry.”
They made their way inside Freda’s. The café advertised the best fried fish in town. Elise decided to give it a try, along with an iced tea, as the day had warmed up considerably. Nick did the same, then gave Elise a smile that caused her to lose herself in his gaze for a moment. He grinned as if knowing the effect he had on her.
Desperate not to betray her growing feelings for him, she asked the first question that came to mind. “Do you really believe yourself cursed?”
His smile faded, and his brows knit together in a look between worried and dismayed. “Who said that?”
“Booker Duran. Last night as I was bringing you your supper, I ran into him. He told me you believed yourself to be cursed.”
Nick leaned back in his chair as the waitress delivered their teas. He took a sip and put the glass down before answering. “I don’t know. I sometimes feel that I might be. My father abandoned me, my mother died. My siblings care very little for me, and of course, there’s what happened on the Polaris.”
When he didn’t elaborate, Elise considered asking for details again but remembered his promise to tell her when he was ready. Instead, she said, “I don’t believe Christians can be cursed.”
“No, I suppose I don’t either, not when I really consider that I belong to God—that He directs my steps and forgives my sins.”
“How did you come to the Lord?”
The waitress approached with two white plates steaming with food. The fried fish smelled heavenly and was served with peas.
“Shall we say grace?” Nick asked.
“Of course. Please do.” Elise bowed her head, wondering what kind of prayer Nick might offer.
“Father, thank you for a safe journey and for this food to nourish our bodies. Amen.”
She looked up and smiled, meeting his blue eyes. “Amen.”
They each sampled the fish. Elise nodded. “It is very good.”
“I’ll bet yours is better,” he teased.
“I use different seasoning, but I can’t fault this meal.” They continued eating as other customers filled the restaurant.
“I learned about God at my mother’s knee,” Nick said after a few moments of quiet.
Elise was glad he’d remembered her question and was willing to answer it. Sometimes people didn’t like to talk about their personal experiences with God. For her, it was something precious and worthy of discussing, but for others, she’d learned it was often difficult.
“My mother was a God-fearing woman, while my father was more focused on business. We attended church, of course, as most of our society did. It was expected, and my father wasn’t a man to do something that might harm his acceptability in society. But Mother was devout and believed the Bible was the only truth. I was reading it before I knew what the words meant.” He grinned. “How about you?”
“My mother led me to God as well. She helped Papa find his way too. They fell in love, but Mama told him she couldn’t be unequally yoked, nor could she marry a man who got right with God only because he wanted to marry her.”
�
��What happened?”
“They didn’t marry for two years after falling in love. Mama prayed for strength, and Papa prayed for wisdom and knowledge in the Lord. When he finally felt he had a solid relationship with God, he came back to her, and they married. It’s a beautiful story. Their wisdom on the issue of faith was what Uncle James said convinced him of their love. What two people so in love with each other would ever wait to marry unless it was a truly convicting reason of greatest importance?”
“Faith in God has become the very core of who I am,” Nick said, toying with his fork. He didn’t look up but grew very thoughtful. “I have thought on many occasions, when dangers were everywhere, that perhaps it would be my last moment in life, but there was always such a peace. I know whom I have believed.”
“Second Timothy one, verse twelve. I love the part after that. ‘I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.’”
This time their gazes met. They nodded in unison, and for Elise, it was a moment like no other. Their spirits were in one accord with God. There was no unequally yoked aspect to their relationship.
After lunch, they continued their walk. Elise loved having Nick at her side.
“That’s where the old theater stood. Most called it the Opera House or the Pine Shed,” Elise said, pointing to a building under construction. “A man named William Branch purchased it this year and plans to make a three-story opera house.”
“That’s quite the endeavor.” Nick walked over to the building across the street and pointed to a posted notice. “Look here, there’s going to be a fair in October.”
Elise smiled. “The county fair is very popular.”
“I think we should make a pact to attend if we’re in town,” Nick said, giving her a sweeping bow. “Would you do me the honor of letting me escort you to the fair?”
Elise giggled and felt like a young girl being courted. “I would be honored.”
“Then it’s settled. You won’t attend the fair with anyone else but me.” He grinned and took hold of her arm.
Waiting on Love Page 11
