Twelve

Perhaps we should postpone our departure,” Stephen said when I returned home that night. “If Alden’s still under suspicion by Monday, perhaps we could put off our trip for another week.”

“No, no, no,” I protested. We were standing in the kitchen, where the children had just finished a supper of soup, bread, and cheese. Alden had returned them home, full of stories about their trip to the film studios. I was annoyed that he was their hero of the moment, when all he was doing was wrecking everyone else’s life. “No. You and Clara must get there in time to claim your laboratories or you know they’ll be taken by someone else.”

At the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole there was always a competition for the best laboratory space in the buildings. The summer session was so popular with scientists from all over the country that there was never enough space. Stephen and Clara both had ongoing studies and, over time, they’d managed to secure prime space for their equipment. If we arrived late, there was no way to guarantee their spots. Why should they suffer because my selfish brother was detained for a police investigation? No, that wouldn’t be fair at all.

“We should just pack up and leave him behind,” I said. “No, really, Stephen, this is the last time I’m going to change all my plans to accommodate Alden. You know the past two years he came with us, then left to go back to the city anyway. When it’s Christmas, he says he’ll entertain at his house, then he flies out after some news story and leaves Clara to do it all by herself. It’s shameful.”

“Clara has plenty of help,” Stephen said.

“I know that. Clara has plenty of help because Clara has plenty of money. But that’s no excuse for Alden not doing his part. He can’t even be home for a Christmas party but he can show up unannounced and spirit the children away to a film studio, without seeking my permission, and get them all excited when they need to be getting ready for the trip east.”

Stephen turned to our three children, who still sat around the rough kitchen table. “How was your trip with Uncle Alden?” he asked them. He gave me a look and I knew he didn’t take my complaint seriously. I knew I was just jealous that Alden was such a hero for them when all he did was cause trouble for the grown-ups. “Would you rather have been at the laboratory with me?”

“Oh, no, it was great, Father,” Jack said. “I met Tom Mix. And we saw him riding ponies. Tommy almost got run over by one, only Uncle Alden pulled him back.”

“Tigers,” Tommy said. His eyes were wide. “We saw tigers and even a baby elephant. They said tomorrow there’ll be leopards and lions.”

“Tommy was bad,” Lizzie said. “He tried to grab the elephant by the trunk, and the elephant yelled, and Uncle Alden pulled him off.”

“He didn’t yell, he roared,” Jack corrected her. “Anyway, you kept trying to go back inside when Uncle Alden told you to stop it. You and Penny.”

“We wanted to see Oz,” Lizzie said. She was standing with her arms akimbo, frowning. “Uncle Alden said we would see Oz. But it wasn’t there. I told him he has to take us back for that. He asked somebody and they said most of Oz will be next week so he said he’d take us back.”

“Lizzie, we’re going to Woods Hole next week, on the train,” I said. “You’re not going back to the Selig studios no matter what your uncle promised.”

She was outraged. I should have known better. At thirteen, my daughter was one of the most opinionated young women I’d ever met. What I didn’t understand was why her opinions so seldom coincided with my own. Where did she get these ideas? Now she was intent on seeing Oz at the Selig studios, and she stood up straight, hands by her side like a little soldier glaring at me. “Yes, we are. We’re going to see Oz. Uncle Alden promised! He promised! We’re not going to Woods Hole until after we see Oz. He promised.”

I glared back at her but, before I could compose a reply, I felt Stephen’s hand on my arm. “We’ll see, Lizzie. Now, didn’t you say you were going to find your copies of the Oz books to take with you this summer? Did you pack them yet?”

Lizzie was gratified that he, at least, understood her pre-occupation with Oz. “No, they’re in the study somewhere. I’ll go find them.” She took a step, then pulled back. “May I leave the table now?” she asked, as she’d been trained to do. At least that was something I’d taught her.

“Yes,” Stephen said. “Go and look for them. And you boys can go as well. Make sure you’ve put out any books you want to take on the trip. We’ll be there all summer and we need to send the trunks of books separately. Go ahead.”

I rolled my eyes as they scurried away. Lizzie and her Oz. She was quite capable of throwing a complete tantrum in the train station if she didn’t get what she wanted. I set my jaw grimly. At some point, I would need to have a serious discussion with my daughter about her temper, but I was tired from the day and I wasn’t willing to face her down that evening.

Delia was clearing off the dishes and I noticed she was staring at me as she did so. It seemed like she couldn’t take her eyes off me. My husband noticed it as well and gave me a quizzical look.

“Delia,” I said. “What’s the matter?”

She looked down guiltily as she stacked the plates. “Oh, nothing, it’s nothing. Only, is it true that you were at the Selig studios today? Like the children?”

“Yes, I had some business there.” I didn’t want to explain that there’d been a murder and that my brother was a suspect.

“Mrs. Chapman, ma’am, did you happen to see Mr. Alonzo Swift while you were there? I asked the children, but they were all looking at the cowboys on the horses and the animals in the zoo jungle there. They didn’t seem to know about the actors. Did you see him? He’s the most handsome man in the world, they say. And they say every girl would do just about anything to give her heart to him.”

I sensed my husband suppressing a chuckle. He would think it was funny that poor Delia was taken by a matinee idol, while I was merely annoyed at my brother for introducing my family to the film world. “Yes, Delia, as a matter of fact, I saw Mr. Swift performing in a scenario written by Mr. Cabot, and afterwards we were introduced.”

That was too much for her. She dropped the pile of plates back on the table with a rattle of silverware and she clasped her hands to her bosom, like a heroine in one of the motion pictures. “Oh, ma’am, that must have been wonderful for you.”

“I managed to survive it without fainting, I’m happy to report,” I told her, and Stephen restrained himself from laughing at that. “Do you need help with the dishes, Delia?” We had more help during the academic year but we’d dismissed the others in preparation for our trip to Woods Hole.

“No, ma’am, I’m fine. I just think it’s very lucky for you to have met a star like Alonzo Swift.”

She returned to her work and I shook my head. Delia was an adult and I had no call to comment on what she did with her days off, but I was disappointed that she was spending time and money at nickelodeons. What was the world coming to when young people spent their time at such amusements? When we returned from our summer holiday I would need to consult with Detective Whitbread’s wife, who was Delia’s aunt, about finding some more appropriate activities for her. I wondered if I took her for granted too much. She was a sweet girl and I couldn’t imagine how my family could get along without her.

Stephen steered me into the parlor where several trunks lay open, waiting for more of the linens and utensils we would need for the summer. “Are you quite sure we shouldn’t postpone our departure?” he asked.

“No. Alden’s caused enough grief. I’ll do what I can with Whitbread to clear him so that he can join us, but I have to tell you that I’m not at all sure he’ll come, even if he’s allowed to. He’s talking about going to California, and I’m not sure what Clara will do. It’s a big mess, and it’s all Alden’s fault.”

“What will you do tomorrow?”

“I agreed to return to Selig’s studio with Whitbread. Can you help Delia with the packing? I know you have your laboratory things to ship. I wired the rent to Mrs. Townsend, so all should be ready for us. I don’t know who shot that poor man but, even at his wildest, Alden wouldn’t do that. Would he?”