David and I alit from the railroad’s terminus at Wood’s Holl by two o’clock. After I’d arrived back at Dru’s and Tilly’s, stashed my purchases in the ice box, and had a bite to eat with my husband, we’d caught the one thirty local. The depot here, which went right up to the water, was bustling. Passengers descended the train with us, sightseers waited to board, and cargo was unloaded, with more waiting to go on. When the island-bound Monohansett sounded its airhorn, travelers carrying parcels and satchels pushed toward the large side-wheel steamer, including a number of well-dressed colored people.
David saw me watching the latter. “Martha’s Vineyard has a sizeable community of former slaves. The area is called Cottage City.”
“Is that so? I had no idea.”
“Yes. The cottages are well-appointed and almost fancifully decorated.”
“It must be a comfort for them to relax apart from prejudicial attitudes,” I said. “I wonder if my colored friends from Amesbury ever journey down here. I’m aware of the many Friends who reside on the smaller island of Nantucket, of course, but I confess I know little of Martha’s Vineyard. Who was Martha, anyway?”
David laughed, tucking my arm through his. “I am not a compendium of general facts, my dear, much though you might believe otherwise. I’m sure someone in this lovely hamlet will know the answer to your question, though. Let’s stroll, shall we?”
Stroll we did. Yesterday’s oppressive weather had not returned, leaving us another sunny, breezy afternoon. We meandered along Water Street past shops and men mending nets. Two strong young women cleaned fish and shooed away screeching gulls looking for a treat. A man in the front window of a sweets shop pulled taffy.
“Look, David.” I pointed at a wall plastered with handbills. They featured the same picture of the burlesque show we’d seen in Falmouth, but the words read, “Performers Wanted! Apply at the Cape Cod Burlesque Theater weekdays between noon and five o’clock.”
“My brother’s recruitment efforts, no doubt,” David muttered. “I hope my mother doesn’t get it in her head to travel here and see what he’s up to.”
“She won’t, will she?”
“I doubt it, but you know Clarinda. When she resolves to act, good luck trying to dissuade her. Let’s move on. I don’t want to let thoughts of Currie spoil an afternoon with my beautiful bride.”
I gazed up at an imposing square building built from massive blocks of pink granite.
“I believe it’s the old candle factory,” David said. “I read about it once. When whaling was in its heyday and before we had the convenience of gas lighting, they manufactured candles in this building from the crude whale oil. I doubt the business is in operation now, and I don’t know what the building currently houses.”
“I hope it’s not sitting empty. It’s so sturdily built, it’s clearly not going anywhere. It should house a thriving business, which could feel safe from any damage from hurricanes and the like.”
We paused at the new marine research laboratory at the corner of Albatross.
“It seems there is water everywhere here,” I said. “What an excellent place to study all the types of life thriving in the ocean.”
“This sign says it’s open to the public,” David said. “I’d like to see what they have on display.”
“I would, too.”
Inside were educational placards about seals and pelagic birds, barnacles and codfish, plankton and mussels. A pretty girl in a shirtwaist sat at a table full of information pamphlets. A sign reading Science Aquarium was posted over another door.
“Welcome,” the girl greeted us. “The pools are through yonder door if you’d like to see them. Our harbor seals are still here, but we’ll be releasing them back to the wild next week.” She gestured toward the door.
“My goodness,” I murmured once outside. Two large granite-lined pools were surrounded by a waist-high iron fence. A seal basked on the paving stones between the basins, and fish swam silently beneath the surface.
We leaned on the fence to watch.
“See the ray?” David asked, pointing.
“It looks like an underwater bird,” I exclaimed. “Wouldn’t it be marvelous to move about so smoothly?”
He laid his arm over my shoulders. “We can go back into the ocean tomorrow if you’d like.”
After some minutes we resolved to move on. David pulled open the door to go back inside but stopped all of a sudden, making me bump into him. From the room with the displays I heard, “Why, if it isn’t my doctor brother and his lovely new wife.” Currie.
I gave David a gentle push. Inside, Currie leaned against the girl’s desk with his arms folded.
“Good afternoon, Currie,” I said. David hadn’t spoken.
“I’m here conversing with one of our future performers, if I have my way.” Currie grinned at the girl, who blushed.
“I’d be careful around this fellow, miss,” David said to her. “His business is not an honorable one, and I daresay your father would be ill-pleased to know you were associating with Currie Dodge.”
The girl gaped, then slid her chair back and away from Currie. As for Currie, he narrowed his eyes at David and pressed his lips into a line.
“We were just on our way, brother,” David added. “Good day.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but shut it again. Out on the street I could barely keep up with his brisk stride. I grabbed his elbow.
“David, stop a minute.”
He halted and passed a hand over his face before turning to me. “I’m sorry, Rose. It irks me that my brother is completely cavalier about making his living in such a disreputable—and possibly harmful—way.”
“I understand. The poor girl was entirely taken with him, too, wasn’t she?”
“I hope my warning has some effect on the creature.” He blew out a breath. “Currie has disappointed me more than once. When he appeared at our reception, I prayed he’d reformed his wayward habits. It seems he hasn’t.”
I spoke softly. “And thee is both angry and saddened.” I’d wanted to linger and learn about the marine life. David had clearly needed to leave. I threaded my arm through his.
He gazed out at the harbor for a moment, then touched my cheek. “I am, but there’s nothing to be done about it. Can I rescue our afternoon together? I hear Prescott House offers a sumptuous afternoon tea.”
“Show me the way, kind sir.”