Gloriana opened her eyes to gaze after her father and Scott. “Did you get your cookies made?”

“Yes.” Sally’s voice was barely audible. She refused to look away from her husband. “I hate it when he goes away.”

“I know.” Gloriana put her arm around Sally and said nothing as the sun rose on the horizon in streaks of red and pink. Red sails in the morning, sailors take warning was a well-known saying. It was even in the Bible—the sixteenth chapter of Matthew—although the words were a little different.

“I have laundry to do,” Gloriana said with a sigh, “and an angry little boy to send off to school.”

“Why is he angry?” Sally asked, rubbing her belly.

“He carved on his school desk and was reprimanded by the schoolmaster and his father. I think disappointing Papa was the worst of it.” Gloriana gave a sigh. “Last night he was so bitter and angry. I’ll wake him up and see how it fares with him this morning.”

Sally nodded and began walking toward her little house. “I hope it goes well.”

Gloriana cast one more glance toward the Ana Eileen. “I do too,” she whispered.

Lucas Carson listened as Jay Cooke instructed him on his new job. The financier, who was well known for having raised enormous amounts of capital for the North during the War Between the States, was now heavily invested in railroads and wanted to see his projects pushed ahead without delay.

Having worked for years as an attorney for Jay Cooke’s railroad interests, Luke wasn’t surprised that today’s conversation was centered on the railroad’s progress.

“As you know, we are close to breaking ground in Minnesota on the Northern Pacific Railway, and the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad is well underway,” Mr. Cooke began. “I have a good team of men in St. Paul, as well as a few in Duluth, but I want you there as well. As I understand from your supervisor, you have a brother in Duluth.”

Luke nodded. “I do.”

Mr. Cooke fixed him with a stern look. “That will help. You will have someone with whom you can stay, and perhaps the solitude won’t seem quite so overwhelming. I’ve had letters from some of my men that speak to their dismay with the isolation of Duluth.”

“I’m sure I can adapt, sir. I’ve never minded wild spaces and isolation.”

For a moment Mr. Cooke studied him as if to unearth deceit, but Luke spoke the truth. He’d always enjoyed the unsettled regions of the country whenever he’d had a chance to see them—which, granted, hadn’t been often. His father despised such locales. They were a long way from Philadelphia.

“Good. I hope to send you there tomorrow. I know that hardly leaves you much time to put your affairs in order, but while I apologize and sympathize, I cannot alter the date.”