Eleanor knew that her grandfather would not back down, but she had no intention of doing so herself. She locked eyes with him firmly. He broke first and his expression softened as he turned away.
"What are you doing," he sighed. He was exhausted; there was no question in his voice.
"I nominated myself for the expedition."
"I see."
Eleanor braced herself and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Look. I won't be so naïve as to say that I am as passionate about Atlantis as Milo, but it holds a very special place in my heart. I've been spending months in the Smithsonian with him, Grandpa, and I've learned so much. It makes me curious! I've never felt so passionately about learning before! Don't you understand? I want to find it. I need to find it."
Mr. Whitmore shook his head and spoke with a steady voice.
"This trip is long, Eleanor," he began solemnly. "You won't have the luxuries that you have at home. The vessel will be crowded. There will be no solitude."
"You didn't say all this to Milo," she challenged.
"It's different."
"No it isn't. We'd be going on the same trip."
"I don't care about Milo!"
The silence that followed Mr. Whitmore's exclamation was long. Eleanor couldn't believe that he would say such a thing.
"This trip was never about Milo. I don't mean to say that I don't wish him well, it's just that…this is for Thaddeus," Mr. Whitmore exclaimed. He seemed embarrassed now that he'd spoken.
Now it was Eleanor's turn to soften. Her grandfather had never been so honest with her before. Obviously, he was concerned about her safety above anything else, but she needed him to let her go.
"I'll take care of Milo and he'll take care of me, Grandpa," soothed Eleanor. "You don't have anything to worry about. And Helga is going, isn't she?"
Mr. Whitmore smiled weakly.
"Yes. She is going too."
"Grandpa, you may be putting this all together for Thaddeus, but I can go for the both of us. Isn't belief and a sense of adventure what he would have wanted?"
"You're persuasive, my dear," Mr. Whitmore admitted. "But I'll still worry about you."
"Don't," she replied, taking his hands. "You chose these people, so I know I'm in good hands."
Mr. Whitmore took Eleanor's face in his hands and kissed the top of her head. She hugged him and closed her eyes. He smelled like pepper, as usual, but she wanted to burn the scent into her memory. As much as she didn't want to think about it, this could be the last time she saw her grandfather.
"You'll leave first thing in the morning, my dear," he said after a long pause. "Best get some sleep."
Eleanor couldn't say anything. Her mind swam with excitement about the trip combined with sorrow for leaving her grandfather alone in this huge house.
"Can I look at the crew members?" she asked to change the subject. Mr. Whitmore nodded and handed her the files.
She scanned the photos quickly. Her stomach sank as she looked at the faces of the strangers. Was it really such a good idea to take this trip among total strangers, away from the comforts of home?
Helga and Milo will be there, she told herself. There's nothing to worry about.
There would be a few other women on board, which made her feel better. She didn't have a lot of opportunities to socialize, so she was excited about the prospect of making new friends with fellow adventurers. She was surprised to see a young Spanish girl among the crew. She didn't know that girls could work as mechanics, but Audrey's profile indicated that she was an experienced and talented one.
"Stay safe, my dear."
Eleanor turned abruptly and scurried off to her room before she lost control of her emotions. Tomorrow! Tomorrow, she would be on her way to the lost city of Atlantis!