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Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Elizabeth Camden
  3. Title Page
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Sixteen
  20. Seventeen
  21. Eighteen
  22. Nineteen
  23. Twenty
  24. Twenty-One
  25. Twenty-Two
  26. Twenty-Three
  27. Twenty-Four
  28. Twenty-Five
  29. Twenty-Six
  30. Twenty-Seven
  31. Twenty-Eight
  32. Twenty-Nine
  33. Thirty
  34. Thirty-One
  35. Thirty-Two
  36. Thirty-Three
  37. Thirty-Four
  38. Thirty-Five
  39. Thirty-Six
  40. Thirty-Seven
  41. Thirty-Eight
  42. Thirty-Nine
  43. Forty
  44. Forty-One
  45. Forty-Two
  46. Historical Note
  47. Questions for Discussion
  48. In 2020, look forCaroline Delacroix’sstory in
  49. About the Author
  50. Back Ads
  51. Back Cover

“Tell me about it,” Annabelle coaxed. They still had a few minutes before the Green Line streetcar arrived, and she hoped conversation would divert Elaine’s thoughts from the frightening forty minutes she’d spent alone on a street corner.

“The Library of Congress bought a new brailler,” she reported. “The machine seems like a regular typewriter, but the keys are different. I’ve asked to be trained on how to use it. Then I can communicate on my own instead of asking you to write everything out for me.”

Annabelle’s smile was pained. She liked reading and writing for Elaine. It was little enough she could do to make up for the catastrophe that had befallen her sister. “I don’t mind,” she said.

“No, no,” Elaine insisted, a little of her old gumption coming to the fore. “I refuse to be any more of a burden than necessary. The more I can learn, the better off we’ll both be. But please . . .” She swallowed hard, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. “Please don’t ever leave me alone on a horrible bench like this again. You can’t imagine how awful it was.”

It was true, and another wave of guilt raced through Annabelle. “I’m so sorry,” she said again. If she lived to be a hundred, she could never apologize enough, for Elaine’s blindness was her fault.

Elaine squeezed Annabelle’s hand. “Don’t feel bad,” she said. “Even though I’m blind, I can tell there is regret all over your face. I’m fine,” she added in a reassuring voice. “It will only take me a little longer to get familiar with these loud city streets, and soon I’ll be using the streetcars without any help.” She flashed a smile. “I can do anything. Anything, Annabelle.”

But Elaine sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Annabelle.

Three

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The Leander Regatta was one of the premier social events of the season, which was why Gray felt distinctly out of place as he strolled along the boardwalk with his sister on his arm. The Delacroix family had helped found the yachting club generations earlier, but Gray had always been too busy resurrecting the family fortune to frolic in pointless boat races.

A wooden promenade lined the Potomac River and led to the clubhouse. Hundreds had turned out to watch the annual regatta beneath the cloudless blue sky. Flags snapped in the breeze, and the air was alive with laughter and music. The young men competing in the races wore ridiculous striped blazers in their team’s colors, while women sported wide-brimmed bonnets that were literal works of art.