House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Author:Erin A. Craig
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2019-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

Churning arrived in a flurry of snowflakes.

Papa was in the foyer, waiting for the guests to arrive. Morella rested upstairs, mustering the energy to make it through dinner. She longed to be seen as the true and proper hostess, but the twins had other ideas.

The midwife had found nothing wrong with her. Though the twins did feel large, she blamed the fresh sea air and our healthy diet for that. She showed me stretches to help ease the tension in Morella’s lower back and said to keep using the oil and lotion. Verity watched, enthralled and eager to help as she could.

Papa looked down our receiving line, counting with a frown. “Where is Camille?”

“Coming, coming.” Camille breezed in, slipping into place. Her hair was windswept, and try as she might, she couldn’t keep smiling.

I raised my eyebrows at her. Was she coming in from the Grotto just now? She’d remained staunchly true to her threat to not help with Churning activities. She went dancing every night instead and slept in later and later, often not waking until well after three in the afternoon. Papa had been too occupied with business and Morella to notice, but the rest of us had felt her absence keenly.

The door opened, bringing in a shower of snow and our guests. Captain Morganstin, his wife, Rebecca, and their two daughters were first. The Graces instantly took the girls into their mix with promises of dolls and jacks later that afternoon.

Captain Bashemk was next. His wife was in confinement and unable to travel, but he brought along his first mate, Ethan. Rosalie batted her eyes at the younger man, then looked down with a coy smile as the officer’s face flushed red.

Sterland and Regnard came in together, swapping stories and greeting Papa with boisterous hugs. Regnard’s wife, Amelia, trailed behind them, asking after Morella.

Two young men stepped in from the cold, looking up at Highmoor’s grand foyer with open awe. One was short and trim, with hair so blond, it looked nearly white. He nudged his friend in the ribs as he spotted my sisters and me. The other was his total opposite, towering over him, with jet-black hair and a nose so crooked, it must have been broken at least twice in his life. He caught me staring, but rather than smile, he let his eyes wander up and down my body. It felt like a beetle crawling across my skin, and I looked away.

“Jules, Ivor!” Papa exclaimed, greeting his clerks. “Have you met my daughters yet?” He scanned the room for someone who was free to chat, and I ducked into the entryway, making myself look busy overseeing the livery boys unloading trunks. I wanted to be available the moment Captain Corum arrived.

I frowned. The sleighs were empty, the guests apparently all inside. Had I missed seeing him come in? I turned back into the foyer, counting heads.

“Was Captain Corum with you on the boat?” I asked, sidling over to Amelia. Poor Lenore was caught in conversation with the taller clerk.

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