Gloriana felt his hand on hers. It was icy cold. Like her father’s now was, no doubt.

She jerked away, then apologized. “I’m sorry. I’m just . . . I’m not myself. I can’t think clearly.”

He nodded. “You don’t have to apologize, Gloriana. You’ve been dealt a blow. I can stay for a time, if you need me to. Or I can send Mrs. Johnson.”

“No.” She got to her feet. “The others need to know. Sally needs to know, and then when school lets out, I’ll have to break the news to JT.” At this, tears came to her eyes. He would be devastated.

The captain rose. “I understand. Just know we’re all here for you. You won’t ever be alone.”

She forced herself to meet his kindly gaze. “Thank you.”

He nodded and secured his hat, then walked out the door with his head hung low. Gloriana prayed Sally wouldn’t see him. The last thing either the captain or the young mother-to-be needed was that encounter. Sally would need the privacy of her house to receive the news. She would need Gloriana to deliver it, not some rough seaman.

Gloriana knew she didn’t have time to process her own grief. There were too many others who needed her to be strong. She glanced heavenward.

“I don’t know why You allowed this, but somehow I must find a way to go on.”

A cold shiver went through her as her words seemed to bounce back to slap her in the face. Maybe God no longer cared. Maybe there were too many others asking why and He didn’t have time for her thoughts. Whatever it was, Gloriana had never felt so distant from God.

She drew a deep breath and went to the kitchen to rinse her face. There was no time to worry about God. She patted her cheeks and eyes dry, then put on her shawl. There was no sense in delaying.

The walk to the smaller cottage seemed twice as long as usual. A gust of wind whipped up and nearly knocked her to the ground. Not that it would take much. Gloriana steadied herself, still trying to think of how to break the news. No matter what she did to soften the blow, Sally’s heart would shatter into a million pieces. She supposed getting to the heart of the matter quickly was the best way, just as Captain Johnson had done.

Gloriana knocked on the cottage door and waited. She’d already decided to invite Sally to live with them. The girl had no other relatives. No one to care whether she lived or died.

Sally opened the door. “Are they back?” she asked with great hope. She strained to look beyond Gloriana, then frowned. “Where are they?”

Gloriana motioned her friend inside and followed after. “We need to talk. Captain Johnson just left my house.”