"Ouch!"

"Well definitely it's broke."

Henry glared at Espen from where he lied on the couch in first class. "I can't believe this," he groaned.

"Don't worry, old son," Espen said. "You'll still be able to play polo."

"Now what?" Havelock asked. "Mr. Blanche can't travel."

Margaret-Gay got up from beside her husband. "But I still can," she said cradling her stomach.

"No," Henry said sitting up. "Absolutely not!"

"I won't turn back now," Margaret said. "Darling, you have broken your ankle, the journey ends here for you, but I must continue until I have found Pleasant. I'll be in good hands." She nodded to Espen who smiled at her husband.

Henry touched his ankle and gritted his teeth. "You bring her back safely or I'll throttle you, do you understand?"

"Threat taken," Espen laughed.

"Havelock, you accompany him back," Asmund said. "Don't look put out you've been worried about Baldwin this whole time anyways. The two of you get back to Natt Fristad."

"How soon do you think you will find her?" Henry asked.

"The man at the last stop said he'd seen her with a doctor in Delaware," Margaret said. "We are here so now we just have to find the right doctor."

"Dr. Geiger," Havelock said with a sigh. "Are you sure you can handle this on your own?"

"Havelock, you just worry about getting back to your farm animals," Espen said putting on his gloves. "We'll take it from here." He picked up Margaret's luggage and carried it off the train with Asmund following him.

Margaret turned to her husband and kissed him. "Try not to break the other one," she said. "I'll see you back in Natt Fristad."

"You be careful," Henry said touching her face. "I'm not complete without you."

Havelock cleared his throat. "Mrs. Blanche they'll be pulling off shortly."

Margaret turned to the door then went back for her hat. "Better not forget this," she laughed.

"Anchor it down a little better this time," Henry called after her.

Bidding good bye to her husband and Havelock Margaret took Espen's hand as he helped her step down. The three stood at the platform as the train pulled out of the station with the two members of their crew.

"We had better get directions to the nearest lodgings," Espen said walking toward the station building.

Margaret-Gay quickly hurried after him. "Lodgings?" she questioned. "What do you mean lodgings? We are supposed to go for Pleasant."

"Margaret, it is late and I am sore," Espen said. "We all need our rest since you deprived us all of it before we boarded."

"I want to find my cousin," Margaret-Gay insisted. "Besides it's not my fault you can't sleep on trains."

"Don't be impossible," Espen told her. "Henry asked me to look out for you and that is just what I'm going to do. So do as I say and sit there and wait while I ask for directions."

Crossing her arms Margaret marched over to the nearest bench and sat.

"Asmund, keep an eye on everything," Espen said as he went into the station building.

Asmund slowly made his way over to a brooding Margaret. "Don't be upset," he said. "We'll find her."

"I'm not upset," Margaret said checking a tear.

Sitting down on the bench he handed her a tissue. "Espen only wants what is best for you," he said. "He's thinking of the baby and you should too."

Margaret looked up at him. "It is so strange to hear you get passionate," Margaret said. "It is the old you. Remember how you taught May to skate?" she laughed. "You really made her day."

Asmund laughed. "She never got good at it," he said. "The poor thing."

"And Pleasant," Margaret said. "How she used to love the ice. We couldn't keep her off it. Now..." she sighed. "I wonder what was going through her mind when your cousin was doing those awful things. I can't imagine." She looked to Asmund to see his gray eyes had hardened.

"What did he do to her?"

Margaret looked to the rails. "It is not my story to tell."

Asmund leaned back on the bench. "Was it outrage?"

Margaret's gloved hands rolled into fist. "I told you, it is not my story to tell. I will only say that I can't imagine how anguished Pleasant was that she suffered while Cedric Crowninshield lived free."

"He won't always be free if we bring him to justice."

"Lawyers talk sweet," Margaret-Gay said. "But let's not forget that Pleasant is a Negro and your cousin is white."

"Don't be like that."

"I have to," Margaret said. "It is unfair but it is the truth. I will not see Pleasant insulted in court. I won't drag her there to be humiliated again. They'll find every reason to blame her."

"We could win the case," Asmund said. "I know people who would be more than happy to put men like my cousin behind bars."

Margaret shook her head. "I will not put stock in man's superficial justice," she said. "Your cousin has something else coming. God won't turn a deaf ear. God will punish him."

Espen stepped out of the building and paused when he saw their faces. "A man inside gave me the doctor's address," he said. "He also said that is a boarding house across the tracks and they serve good breakfast." He smiled

"Great," Margaret said getting to her feet. "Well since I'm being forced to rest let's get a move on. The sooner I sleep the sooner tomorrow will come and we can go get Pleasant."

The two brothers watched her go. "She's fiery," Asmund said. "She'd be a good lawyer."

Espen scoffed. "If I knew I'd have to fight a woman this hard I'd have joined the war against the Spanish." He picked up Margaret's luggage and followed her.

"At least then Baldwin couldn't have scoffed at you and called you lazy," Asmund said.

"Baldwin," Espen scoffed. "He'd call you slovenly for stopping to sneeze."

"He really isn't that bad," Asmund said. "And have you ever thought that maybe he doesn't see himself as perfect?"

"I doubt it."

"All I'm saying is Baldwin has his tribulations too," Asmund said. "I think you'd get along better if you'd only realize that."

Espen rolled his eyes at the thought of any of the tension between him and his brother being his fault. Seeing Margaret was well across the tracks they hurried to catch up with her.

Margaret-Gay entered the boarding hoarse, exhausted and with her feet aching. All she could think about was getting out of her maternity corset and falling into bed. "I would like a room, please," she said to the handlebar mustached clerk as she prepared her pocketbook. "Three actually, my boys will be right behind me."

"Will do, ma'am but I can only get you one room. It's got one bed that can sleep two people."

"I'll take it," Margaret said out of breath. She quickly paid and took the key from the clerk. "And would it be possible to have a meal sent up."

"Certainly," the clerk said taking out a menu. "Check Tuesday's special."

"I'll have whatever it is," Margaret said.

"I understand, ma'am," the clerk said. "I'll put the order in for you."

Thanking him, Margaret turned away from the desk and started for the stairs. The two flights suddenly looked very daunting.

"Margarey-Gay Singer!"

Margaret turned around and met eyes with a fancily dressed woman coming out of the dining room. It had been a few years but the face was still the same. "Rose Purefoy..."

"I don't believe it!" Rose exclaimed hugging her.

"Neither do I," Margaret mumbled.

"And look at you," Rose said. "Well you've certainly packed on the pounds."

"I'm expecting, Rose," Margaret said.

"Oh..." Rose said. "How very nice. We just had our first last March. He is a handsome boy. Let me see if I have a picture."

As the slender woman fumbled through her purse Margaret turned to the door as Espen and Asmund entered.

"I know you don't plan on taking those stairs on your own," Espen said dropping her luggage beside them.

Rose's eyes went to Espen and then to Margaret and back again before resting on her stomach.

"Who is this scrutinizing us?" Espen asked getting a gasp from Rose.

"Espen, you remember, Rose Purefoy," Margaret said.

Rose smiled making Margaret realize just how porcelain the woman was. Turns out Pleasant had been right all along. "It's Rose Wood now," she said offering her hand. "Violet and I married brothers. I see you two finally tied the knot or are trying to."

Before Margaret could speak Espen laughed. "I don't tie knots I lose them. Right Asmund?"

Rose gave a fake laugh. "You were always the trouble maker," she said. "I am a little surprised, Margaret seeing as you had your pick of men easily. They were crawling from the grave to be with you." She looked between them again assuming their union must have been shotgun.

"That is why I am here," Espen said. "The esteemed wife of Henry Blanche must not travel alone to meet her husband."

Rose's lips ticked. "You married Henry Blanche?"

Margaret smiled. "It is true," she said. "I would have invited you, Rose but you took off so quickly at seventeen."

Being a woman of her nature Rose knew what Margaret was getting at. "How is your cousin?"

Margaret felt her insides grow tight. "Which one?"

"Pleasant of course," Rose said. "Is she teaching in Natt Fristad? I heard the most unfortunate rumor as a girl that she was soiled. Mother never let her come over for that reason."

"We should go," Espen said trying to steer Margaret away only for the woman to brush him off.

"Pleasant is doing better than all of us," Margaret said. "She wants for little these days."

Rose laughed. "You don't have to lie to protect her," she said. "We all knew where she was heading didn't we?" she looked between the three of them. "What with the way she cottoned to your brother and all... A poor girl like that is really not worth defending. They always revert back to their low class nature. But you've always had a bleeding heart, Margaret. That's what I've always liked about you."

Margaret smiled and nodded. "You know what I've always liked about you, Rose dear?"

Rose raised a brow.

"Your face is perfect for a punch!"

Rose gasped and stumbled back. "You wouldn't dare!"

Margaret's clenched her first. "Keep slandering my cousin," she said. "Keep on! My husband isn't the only one with a good right hook."

"Margaret, come," Espen said steering her up the stairs. "Asmund, the bags."

Asmund looked at Rose still gaping then collected the luggage and followed them up the stairs.

"Margaret, what am I going to do with you?" Espen said as they entered the room.

Margaret fell down on the bed and turned her back to them. "Oh, Espen please!" Margaret said. "I don't need to be upbraided right now."

Asmund set down her luggage. "We'll get a room next door so we can look after you."

Margaret turned to them. "No you won't," she said. "This was the last room left so you had better make yourselves comfortable. Don't be shy."

Asmund shrugged. "I'll ask if they have extra blankets," he said and left the room.

Espen sighed and sat down on the bed. "You know it would have been funny to see you punch Rose."

Margaret laughed. "I've left my childish ways behind," she said.

"Henry hasn't."

"That was different, Baldwin needed that," Margaret said.

"Why Baldwin and not Rose?"

"Because Rose is ignorant and has always been a minx," Margaret said. "Baldwin....he used to be a good man. And if Pleasant were here she would still believe he was deep down inside."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Margaret said. "I believe she cares for him else she wouldn't have been so broken by him."

Espen shook his head. "Someone caring so much for Baldwin I..." he shrugged.

"Pleasant isn't like us," Margaret said. "When people like Pleasant are born the angels pay extra special attention."

"Why?"

"Because they are small flickers of what mankind was truly meant to be."

Espen turned away nodding. He had to agree. He had giving Pleasant Day the hardest time and yet she never retaliated. He wondered what it was like to be so ethereal.