The Roosevelts gave Mrs. McKinley as much time as she needed to vacate the White House, but already architects and planners had begun discreetly measuring the building for a substantial renovation. The Roosevelts had six children, ranging from four to seventeen in age. The modest family quarters were inadequate, and the new president took the bull by the horns to begin the long-delayed expansion Ida had refused to allow. The greenhouses would be torn down to build a west wing where the administration’s daily business would occur, leaving more room for the president’s family in the residence.

Boxes of condolence letters had accumulated, and Caroline took them to her office to identify those from heads of state that required an immediate reply, then packed the others away to be addressed in the coming months. Her concentration was broken by a cascade of childish laughter echoing down the hall. The Roosevelts had yet to move in, but they visited almost every day to begin planning their move and the renovation.

The children’s laughter intensified, followed by clattering and a strange squeal. Could that possibly be the nickering of a horse?

Dropping a stack of letters, Caroline ran into the hall, gasping at the sight of a pony prancing nervously in the marble corridor just inside the north entrance.

“Get that animal out of here!” she shrieked.

A young boy giggled and reached for the pony’s bridle as a mortified White House usher rushed inside.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the usher gasped. “One of the older boys distracted me while this one snuck it in.”

Behind him, a cluster of boys looked delighted as the usher led the pony outside. Caroline followed to be certain the pony was well away from the house, then glared at the boys, uncertain if she had the authority to reprimand the Roosevelt children. The only adult was a languid young lady watching the entire incident from the far side of the portico as she smoked a cigarette.

“Oops,” the young lady said with deliberate indifference.

This was surely Alice Roosevelt, the oldest of the Roosevelt children, who was already in the process of scandalizing Washington society. As much as Caroline wanted to smack her, she recognized a bit of herself in Alice’s wildcatting ways. Still, she wouldn’t let Alice disrespect the White House.

She strode forward, plucked the cigarette from Alice’s hands, and ground it out on the pavers. “If you must smoke, I’ll show you a spot on the roof where you can get away with it. Don’t embarrass your father by doing it where reporters can see you.” She paused to scan Alice from head to toe. “Stop slouching, because even now people are watching you. You’re going to have a lot of eyes on you in the years ahead, so start off on the right foot.”