Carolyn took a seat and surveyed the ballroom while she waited. With no one dancing, she could observe couples on the other side of the room. She enjoyed watching others. When she was a young girl, she would make up stories about the people she saw, and write them down. She still loved to write, but since her marriage, it had become something she did privately and didn't talk about. It was one of the things that helped keep her sane when her marriage came crashing down around her.

As she scanned the crowd, even with the hall lit by candle light, she recognized Daniel Gregg across the room. He was talking with a beautiful young woman with long dark hair. She was stunning in a green velvet gown, and seemed so at ease with him – touching his arm as they spoke. They made a dazzling couple. She realized with a shock that she was envious of the young woman's familiarity with the Captain.

'What's wrong with me? I'm jealous of a woman I don't know, over a man I haven't spoken more than a handful of words to. How can I feel like this? I just met him!'

She was deep in thought, focused on Daniel Gregg, when he noticed her across the room. As at the Seafarer Games, she immediately captured his attention, and he smiled at her. Kathleen Worth noticed she'd lost his undivided attention and followed his line of sight.

'It's that woman again!' she fumed. 'Well, if she so intent on watching him, I'll give her something to see.'

She took that moment to pull the Captain toward her, and whisper in his ear, laughing coyly, all the while, staring at the perceived interloper.

Daniel, realizing Miss Worth was playing games, backed away as quickly as possible and gave her a stern look. He was intrigued the lovely widow had been watching him and appalled by his date's behavior.

Miss Worth wasn't expecting that kind of reaction from him. She began to wonder if she was losing whatever edge she had on the other women in town.

Carolyn was brought back to reality by the young woman's actions, and her thoughts were going a mile a minute.

'I can't believe I was staring at them like that. What was I thinking? What will I say if he mentions it when we dance? I have got to get a hold of myself. I've never behaved like this in my life! There's obviously something between them, and I have no business daydreaming about a man I don't know, and who may be in a relationship with another woman.' She was beside herself with embarrassment and wished she could crawl into a hole and hide.

She was looking for an escape route when her uncle returned. She was relieved to see him, thankful for the distraction he provided.

"Uncle, shall we go in for supper? The Horans and Farleys are saving seats for us," she told him.

"Wonderful! The food is one of the highlights at an event like this. Let's not dawdle. I don't want to miss anything," he said offering his arm.

She accepted, desperate to get away, and thankful to be moving out of the ballroom. That changed when she saw the Captain, the young woman in the green gown, and the rest of their party going in to eat, too.

Daniel watched Claymore escort Mrs. Muir into supper, so when his party entered the room behind them, he intentionally steered them in the opposite direction.

'Beautiful young women can be a joy to have by your side, or in your bed, but are sometimes more trouble than they're worth," he thought. 'I need to keep these two women apart. I don't want Carolyn Muir to think there is anything more to my relationship with Miss Worth than there really is, and there's no telling what that girl will do, given the opportunity.'

XXXXX

Carolyn and Claymore got their refreshments and joined the Horans and Farleys. She was relieved the Captain's party wasn't sitting nearby. When they came in, it looked like he intentionally steered the group as far away as possible, and she didn't mind at all. It gave her a chance to relax, and compose herself, while attempting to push her embarrassment aside.

She was happy for the opportunity to talk with everyone while they ate. It's hard to have a decent conversation at a ball unless you're sitting out the same dances. She spoke with them as a group and individually, while her uncle focused on his meal – and his second helping.

While they talked, James told her of some of his experiences at sea and of knowing Daniel Gregg most of his life. Although younger than his Captain, they had been friends since they'd met. Carolyn enjoyed his company. He was very entertaining, laughed easily, and had her laughing at his outrageous stories.

After her discussion with Reverend Farley, Carolyn was looking forward to tomorrow's church service. If the young preacher spoke as well from the pulpit as he did in casual conversation, she knew he would have an interesting message. He was a quiet man, who seemed content to let his wife speak for him at times, but he could really get going when a subject interested him.

Marguerite Horan and Sarah Farley were very entertaining companions. For not knowing each other long, they got along very well. They were intent on including Mrs. Muir in their conversation, and the inevitable laughter. Both women liked to laugh, and it was contagious. At one point, they drew scandalized glances from several older women, who were heard decrying the 'young people' drawing attention to themselves.

Carolyn secretly reveled in being referred to as 'young'. She hadn't felt that way in a long time. For most of the years of her marriage, and then the two plus years of mourning, it was as if she were only existing – that her youth had slipped away. If it hadn't been for the children, she didn't know what might have become of her. Now, away from Philadelphia, her parents, extended family, and in-laws, even though it had only been a few days, she felt as if she were coming alive again, and the feeling was wonderful.

XXXXX

Daniel was eating with Miss Worth and the rest of their party, trying his very best NOT to pay attention to Mrs. Muir and the others enjoying themselves across the room. He had to admit, she - by her grace and beauty - and the others, with their joy for life, didn't make it easy. Their laughter carried across the room, and he almost laughed out loud himself when the women at his table started 'tisk-tisking' about young people making a spectacle of themselves. Why hadn't he noticed before how stuffy they were? Despite his best efforts, his amusement did not go unnoticed by his date, or her mother.

Mrs. Worth was an older version of her daughter – serious, class conscious, and determined to find a beneficial match for her daughter to improve the family's standing in the community. Because Captain Gregg came from one of the town's founding families, she thought he would be just the match for their Kathleen but, personally, she didn't like him very much. She thought he was common. With his pedigree, he could have held a position of authority in Schooner Bay – mayor, president of the town counsel, or something else of that stature. She couldn't understand why he wasted his life at sea, instead of using the Gregg name to his advantage here in town. His choice of acquaintances left a lot to be desired too. 'Imagine spending time with sailors – you couldn't get any more common,' she'd told her husband earlier. She was confident, if her daughter were to snare him, his career at sea would come quickly to an end, as would time spent with those undesirables. She firmly believed, with her assistance, Kathleen could really make something of the man.

The young Miss Worth had been feeling more confident about a potential relationship with Daniel Gregg lately, especially when he asked to escort her to the costume ball. Now, she suddenly felt her confidence slipping away. She knew he had an eye for the ladies, but that hadn't been an issue before now. After all, she won the unspoken competition with Abigail, Melanie, and Prudence to be by his side tonight. The Captain hadn't said anything, or made any promises to her, but she was starting to think, since his best friend, Mr. Horan, had married, he'd finally decided it was time to settle down too. She had hoped she was the reason. Today, all that changed in an instant. 'So where did this woman come from? She was at the games this afternoon, now here tonight, and HE, quite obviously, can't keep his eyes off her,' she stewed.

As the evening progressed, Daniel realized he was distancing himself from Kathleen Worth. It wasn't intentional, but every time he saw Carolyn Muir, he found himself drawn to her. She was the woman he wanted to be with, and he was finding it difficult to keep up the pretense of enjoying his time with the young lady he had escorted.

He was relieved when the meal was finally over. His first dance after the break was the one he had been anticipating all evening. He couldn't wait to hold Carolyn Muir in his arms, and even though it was only on the dance floor, it would do – for now.

XXXXX

The Worth party returned to the ballroom, and Daniel said and did all the thoughtful things a man should say and do for the woman he escorted to the ball. Once he was assured Miss Worth was settle and had everything she needed, he excused himself to claim his dance with the lovely young widow. As much as he hated to admit it – even to himself – he was anxious.

'I've never been nervous – no . . . not nervous . . . apprehensive – about dancing or being with a woman in my life. What's happening to me?' he wondered.

XXXXX

The Horan/Farley group finished their meal a short time later and made their way back to the ballroom. The orchestra was warming up, and the dancing would begin again soon. The three women were standing together talking, when Sarah and Marguerite got going once more and had them all laughing. By the critical glances they received from several passing women, it seemed they were at risk of drawing attention to themselves – again. That realization only made them laugh more.