Chapter 5 #2
And what was that moment of madness right before he left?
He could not afford to be attracted to Millie Aldrich.
It was suicidal. Not that he had a leg to stand on when it came to suicidal pursuits, given his chosen vocation.
But unlike some of his colleagues, he didn’t fly for the thrill of danger.
He loved flying and couldn’t imagine making a living any other way, but he didn’t care for peril for its own sake.
He had one of the best safety records in the fleet for a reason.
He was careful. That was what Miss Aldrich didn’t understand.
He didn’t take unnecessary risks in the air or on the ground.
The ladies he dated were safe. He didn’t want to find himself entangled.
Keeping it casual helped him maintain a sort of detached equilibrium where no one’s heart was in danger, least of all his own.
At last, he reached the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge and began his drive over the long span.
He was in the home stretch, not that he was particularly looking forward to seeing his family.
He knew they would have a thousand questions and a million demands.
He tried his best to be a good son and big brother, but nothing he did ever felt like enough.
As he pulled up in front of the townhouse where he lived with his family, he braced himself for his family. Assuming Prudence and Verity were home, he needed to be ready for anything.
“I did not give you permission to borrow my telescope,” one of his sisters yelled as soon as he walked in the door.
“But I need it to spy on Benjie Stanton.”
Ernie climbed the stairs to the sitting room, smiling at his sisters despite his foul mood.
“Girls, enough of that racket,” his mother hollered from somewhere unseen.
“Verity, if you want a telescope, save up your pin money and buy one. Furthermore, it isn’t nice to spy on people.
Prudence, it wouldn’t hurt to be a bit more generous with your sister and share from time to time.
Now both of you be quiet. I think I heard your sister come in. ”
“Sorry to disappoint, but it’s just me,” Ernie bellowed. Just him. The restless ne’er-do-well, not the angelic future secretary.
Verity and Prudence squealed and came rumbling down the stairs. “Ernie, can I have money for a telescope?” Prudence asked, coming to a halt in front of him, wisps of her blonde hair flying out from her usual long braid.
“Why should she get money for a telescope after stealing mine?” said Verity arriving moments later, her hair carefully coiffed in a stylish bob. “If anyone should get money, it should be me.”
“Last I heard,” said Ernie, pulling out his wallet and handing them each some bills with a wink, “you two put a frog in your teacher’s desk.” He raised a finger to his lips and motioned for them to tuck the money away before their mother came in.
“Thank you,” they both mouthed silently.
“I knew Mom would blow it out of proportion. We were studying amphibians, and I thought it might be helpful to look at a live specimen,” Prudence said aloud.
“And you should have heard the teacher scream,” said Verity, bursting into laughter. “It was hilarious.”
He couldn’t help but grin, though he pulled a straight face again quickly, expecting his mother to walk in at any moment.
“It was for science!” Prudence gave her sister a little pinch.
Verity gave her a dirty look. “Everything with you is science.”
“And everything for you is an investigation. Can you please leave poor Benjie Stanton alone? I know what he’s up to, and it isn’t nefarious.”
Brown eyes wide, Verity demanded, “Tell me now! You can be my first witness.”
Mom came lumbering in from the kitchen, an older version of the twins, her blonde bun streaked with white. “Verity, enough with your amateur Pinkerton nonsense. Prudence, science is not an excuse to play a practical joke on your teacher.”
“But it wasn’t a practical joke—”
“I know, I know. It was science,” his mother said. “That’s no excuse.”
“Enough of this racket! I’m trying to write a sermon,” Pop bellowed from his study. “Don’t make me come down there.”
“Ernie, you aren’t encouraging these two again, are you?” Mom demanded with a sharp look. “They’ll never learn to behave if you keep indulging them. If anything, you should be setting an example and helping me keep them in line.”
A door opened downstairs. Constance. Thank heavens.
Constance came in the door, dark hair framing her placid face.
She was the only member of the family to inherit their father’s coloring.
Seeing them all, she smiled in delight. He wished he could summon delight like that.
Mostly he felt awkward at home because he couldn’t live up to his parents’ expectations for their eldest son.
“Ernie, it’s so good to see you.” She came over for a hug. “You need rescuing, don’t you?” she whispered in his ear.
“Yes,” he whispered back.
“Mom, I’m sure Ernie’s had a long day. Let’s let him get some rest, shall we? Besides, I need your help with a project.”
Ernie gave her a grateful look and headed upstairs to his bedroom to hide. He loved his family. Truly, he did. But Constance was a saint.
He pulled out his sketch book as he always did when he wanted to unwind, and found himself drawing Millie Aldrich, bold and beautiful next to her plane.
It was a mistake to dwell on her, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.
The picture practically drew itself. After putting the finishing touches on the sketch, he closed the book and shook his head.
If only he could call on Constance to rescue him from Millie Aldrich, everything would be so much easier.