frown marred her exquisite features.
“Who is that man with Persia?” she demanded.
Captain Whiddington cleared his throat, aware of feeling a curious hostility toward the young man who skated every bit as well as the pretty girl in his arms, and who stared at her with undisguised desire etched into the hard planes of his bearded face.
“I can’t make him out from here, Victoria. I’m sure he’s one of the boys she used to beat when they raced. He has undoubtedly noticed tonight for the first time that she’s quite an attractive creature.”
“Well, I’d rather she were still racing him!”
The captain took his wife’s hand and patted it under- standingly. “We can’t keep her a little girl forever, my dear. She’s a beautiful, spirited young woman.”
“Young is what bothers me, Captain. Our Persia is too young to be in a man’s arms that way. And he’s no boy!”
“They’re only skating, Victoria.”
“For now, at least,” she replied in a weary voice. “But so it begins, and where will it lead?”
Just then Europa hurried up, interrupting their conversation. Her face was flushed with fury as much as with the cold. How dare Persia upstage her this way?
“Mother, she’s making a spectacle of herself again. I’m so embarrassed I could die,” Europa wailed. “Everyone is staring! Do make her come off the ice.”
Asa Whiddington said exactly the wrong thing. “They’re staring in admiration, Europa. Your sister and her young man cut a fine figure together.”
Ignoring her father, Europa once again pleaded with her mother. “Do you know that man is a sailor fresh home from sea? He tried to impose his attentions on me earlier this evening, but I could see he was no fit escort, much less a skating partner. He couldn’t have me, so he went after poor naive Persia instead. And now there she is—even after I warned her to keep her distance from him—languishing in the man’s arms as if they were sweethearts.”
“Europa!” her mother cried. “That will be quite enough! Do you want everyone to hear you? I won’t survive this evening if both my daughters forget they are ladies.”
Europa sank down into the chair she had been using on the ice to keep her balance, her lovely face a mask of misery. She had managed to fall eight times this evening. But all she had to show for it were bruises. Not once had anyone interesting come to her aid. And now her little sister was taking the spotlight with a devastatingly mysterious stranger. Granted, she had tossed him off earlier, but she certainly hadn’t meant for him to land in Persia’s waiting arms.
The night was nearing disaster proportions. It was almost more than a body could endure! Europa’s mind turned to scheming. Surely there was some way she could salvage the evening and turn it to her advantage.
“Captain and Mrs. Whiddington!” A voice cracked with age and dripping with accusation announced the arrival of Quoddy Cove’s self-appointed moralizer and purveyor of gossip.
“Oh, God, preserve us!” Asa moaned under his breath before his wife could shush him.
“Birdie, dear, what are you doing out on such a cold night?” said Victoria. “Do come and have a cup of tea with us before you’re chilled through.”
An ancient crone all swathed in black motioned the two servants carrying her chair to set her down. She snarled at one and cracked the other across his shoulders with her cane when one leg of the chair sank into a soft patch of snow, nearly tipping her over. Then she clutched at her heart, feigning the fatal attack half the town would have welcomed.
“Ah, Victoria, decent help these days is impossible to find. Get away from me, the both of you!” she screeched at her pair of menservants.
“I believe that was entirely an accident, Miss Blackwell,” Asa said in defense of the men.
“Ayah,” she replied sarcastically. “And I suppose it was an accident, too, the last time they tipped my chair and I nearly
“Who is that man with Persia?” she demanded.
Captain Whiddington cleared his throat, aware of feeling a curious hostility toward the young man who skated every bit as well as the pretty girl in his arms, and who stared at her with undisguised desire etched into the hard planes of his bearded face.
“I can’t make him out from here, Victoria. I’m sure he’s one of the boys she used to beat when they raced. He has undoubtedly noticed tonight for the first time that she’s quite an attractive creature.”
“Well, I’d rather she were still racing him!”
The captain took his wife’s hand and patted it under- standingly. “We can’t keep her a little girl forever, my dear. She’s a beautiful, spirited young woman.”
“Young is what bothers me, Captain. Our Persia is too young to be in a man’s arms that way. And he’s no boy!”
“They’re only skating, Victoria.”
“For now, at least,” she replied in a weary voice. “But so it begins, and where will it lead?”
Just then Europa hurried up, interrupting their conversation. Her face was flushed with fury as much as with the cold. How dare Persia upstage her this way?
“Mother, she’s making a spectacle of herself again. I’m so embarrassed I could die,” Europa wailed. “Everyone is staring! Do make her come off the ice.”
Asa Whiddington said exactly the wrong thing. “They’re staring in admiration, Europa. Your sister and her young man cut a fine figure together.”
Ignoring her father, Europa once again pleaded with her mother. “Do you know that man is a sailor fresh home from sea? He tried to impose his attentions on me earlier this evening, but I could see he was no fit escort, much less a skating partner. He couldn’t have me, so he went after poor naive Persia instead. And now there she is—even after I warned her to keep her distance from him—languishing in the man’s arms as if they were sweethearts.”
“Europa!” her mother cried. “That will be quite enough! Do you want everyone to hear you? I won’t survive this evening if both my daughters forget they are ladies.”
Europa sank down into the chair she had been using on the ice to keep her balance, her lovely face a mask of misery. She had managed to fall eight times this evening. But all she had to show for it were bruises. Not once had anyone interesting come to her aid. And now her little sister was taking the spotlight with a devastatingly mysterious stranger. Granted, she had tossed him off earlier, but she certainly hadn’t meant for him to land in Persia’s waiting arms.
The night was nearing disaster proportions. It was almost more than a body could endure! Europa’s mind turned to scheming. Surely there was some way she could salvage the evening and turn it to her advantage.
“Captain and Mrs. Whiddington!” A voice cracked with age and dripping with accusation announced the arrival of Quoddy Cove’s self-appointed moralizer and purveyor of gossip.
“Oh, God, preserve us!” Asa moaned under his breath before his wife could shush him.
“Birdie, dear, what are you doing out on such a cold night?” said Victoria. “Do come and have a cup of tea with us before you’re chilled through.”
An ancient crone all swathed in black motioned the two servants carrying her chair to set her down. She snarled at one and cracked the other across his shoulders with her cane when one leg of the chair sank into a soft patch of snow, nearly tipping her over. Then she clutched at her heart, feigning the fatal attack half the town would have welcomed.
“Ah, Victoria, decent help these days is impossible to find. Get away from me, the both of you!” she screeched at her pair of menservants.
“I believe that was entirely an accident, Miss Blackwell,” Asa said in defense of the men.
“Ayah,” she replied sarcastically. “And I suppose it was an accident, too, the last time they tipped my chair and I nearly
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