A/N: Happy summer! Let's go to the beach.

Beneath the shade of a fluttering awning, Cal sat reclined in a wicker chair, sun-glasses shielding his eyes from the glare reflecting off the waves. Even with the tinted lenses the world was much too bright, and the back-and-forth motion of the water was starting to make him nauseous. With a groan, Cal raised his glass to his forehead, pressing the cool condensation against his temple as he attempted to ease the throbbing pain behind his eyes.

With New York City plunged into a miserable heatwave, the family had decided to retreat to Long Branch, seeking the cooling breeze of the quiet coast. Somehow, Cora had managed to rouse her brother and, with much help from Cal's valet, they got him dressed and in the Packard, determined that he wouldn't be left behind. Stricken by a wicked hangover, the ride down had been hell. Now that he was firmly planted in his chair by the beach, practically one with the wood beneath him, Cal was determined not to move until the world stopped spinning.

Why did he do this to himself? What eased the pain of yesterday only doubled the pain of tomorrow. Now he was heartbroken and he felt like shit. Although…it wasn't heartbreak, not exactly. The devastation Cal felt after his encounter with Rose was a one-sided mourning, not for them or what could have been, but for himself, and his foolish delusions that lead him to this terrible feeling. There was no love left for her in his memories. Only a somber resentment, confusion and distain.

Cal wished he could forget their reunion. But despite the mental fog surrounding the last 12 hours, no amount of drink could wash away her words. Every syllable she'd flung at him would be carved on his heart until the day he drew his last breath. How he got home and up onto that wall, however, was completely missing from his memory. And then, there was everything that happened after.

At first, Cal thought it must have been a dream. All along their journey to the seaside town, fragments of his rescue floated back to him, forming a picture too lovely to be based in reality.

The wind on his face. Cold brick beneath his palms. A sky full of stars. Dirt beneath his fingernails. Someone small and warm beside him. The smell of burnt milk. Delicate hands. Kind eyes. The soft scent of her skin as he kissed her goodnight.

Surely not. He couldn't be that much of an asshole, to take advantage of the governess' kindness for his own desperate need to feel wanted. And yet he had. Of course he had. The poor girl must have been terrified. Forced into a compromising situation by her drunkard employer. Cal hated himself, he really did. And yet, looking over to where she sat, building sand structures with Evelyn and the boys, the feeling that compelled him most was…relief. Vaguely, he recalled asking her not to leave him; a mortifying thought, made even more upsetting by just how true and vulnerable his plea had been, whispered wearily in the naked silence of dawn. Given everything he subjected her to, Cal wouldn't have blamed the young woman if she'd packed her bag and left before breakfast… But she hadn't. And for that, he was profoundly grateful.

When Cal saw her that morning as the family and staff were loading into their small fleet of vehicles, she'd met his gaze and held it, a soft pink coloring her cheeks as the wind played with the edge of her hair.

Ada.

She'd broken the stare before anyone noticed and turned her attention back to Evelyn, getting his child seated beside her cousins in one of the cars. But she hadn't avoided him as he expected she might. And there was a steadiness in her eyes that made Cal hopeful that her opinion of him hadn't been tarnished.

Hopeful, Cal scoffed to himself. Hopeful for what? She's a confident person, unfazed by a stumbling drunk and polite enough not to make a fuss about it afterward. The whole thing was an embarrassing mistake, and if she was mature enough to let it go, so should he.

Casting another glance toward Ada -Miss Kruger- and Evelyn, Cal wondered if it was better to address the incident or let it lie. Perhaps he should let her decide. But would she feel it was her place to say anything to him if she did in fact have something to say? Perhaps, as her employer, it was his responsibility to bring it up, to give her the chance to speak -if she wanted to. But if she didn't, she'd feel like he was pressuring her. God, this was impossible.

"Cal?"

"Hmm?" He turned toward his sister, who'd been trying and failing to get his attention for the last 30 seconds.

"I said, Oscar and I are going in to dress for dinner. Are you coming?"

"Oh, no I'll stay here. I need more time to…" he cleared his throat. "The ocean air, it's helping."

"It is? Good, I'm glad to hear that. I hope you don't mind me saying, Cal, but you looked terrible this morning. Now, aren't you glad I made you come?"

Cal made an affirming grunt as Oscar called for Cora.

"Coming, dear! Well, you take your time then. If you're not up for dinner, we'll see you afterward in the lounge, okay?" A concerned hand rested on his shoulder.

Cal looked up at her through his sun-glasses, squeezed her hand and did his best to smile. "Alright." He said.

As always, Cora smiled enough for them both. "Good. See you later then. Come along, boys!"

Albert and Percy jumped up from the sand and sprinted toward their mother, Nanny Barker in tow. Not wanting to be left behind, Evelyn came running too, oblivious to her Papa's under-the-weather condition as she scrambled, feet and elbows akimbo, into his lap for a hug.

Cal groaned slightly against the unintentional jabs, wrapping his heavy arms around his little girl and readjusting her so she lay comfortably against him. With a collected sigh they both relaxed, Evelyn snuggling close as Cal hugged her tightly. Kissing her head, he smelled the ocean in her hair, a sensation that brought mixed feelings and conjured memories too recent for comfort. When they'd first arrived, the view of the shore was met with a mini meltdown, something Cal had been warry about with Cora's idea in the first place. But somehow, Miss Kruger had worked her magic and managed to coax Evelyn as far as the edge of the beach. They got nowhere near the water, but with her back to the waves and her attention focused on playing with her cousins in the sand, everything seemed to work out fine.

"You were very brave today, Sweetpea. I'm so proud of you." Cal whispered.

"It wasn't so scary, after a while." Evelyn whispered back. Her voice sounded sleepy. After a full afternoon of playing in the sun, he wasn't surprised. Cal could have fallen asleep too, and in that moment, nothing sounded better than taking a nap in his chair with the breeze on his face and his daughter in his arms. But before a weary drowsiness could take hold, Miss Kruger's approach instantly called his senses to attention.

Cal cleared his throat, sitting up from his deep slouch in the comfortable chair as he attempted to regain a more dignified posture.

"I can take Evelyn in for you, Sir."

"No, I want to stay with Papa." Evelyn protested, burying her face in his neck.

Selfishly, Cal wanted to agree, and was embarrassed when he realized how much he wanted them both to join him. But even though this was a vacation resort, they weren't alone, and it would be improper to miss the dinner service. Well.. he could miss it. Cal still felt awful, and he didn't give a damn about what society expected him to do right now. But if Evelyn was to have a chance at finding her place in this fine world, she'd have to learn early to concede to its rules. At least, most of the time.

So it was with reluctance that he pulled his daughter away, saying, "No you don't. You want to get out of those sandy clothes, take a nice cool shower and go eat dinner with Percy. They're serving sherbet for dessert and you don't want to miss that."

Instantly, Evelyn's eyes lit up, her tongue sticking out in anticipation.

"You can even have my share. But only if you go with Miss Kruger and get ready."

"Okay, Papa!" she said and, with more elbowing than Cal would have liked, maneuvered off his lap and onto her feet, taking the governess' hand excitedly.

Miss Kruger paused, holding fast against her ward's anxious pulling. Quietly she asked him, "How are you faring, Sir? Should I send for anything? Some more ice water, perhaps?"

Looking up at her, Cal was at a loss for words. Here he was, exasperating his migraine with mental gymnastics trying to figure out how he'd ever speak to her again while she swept in like an angel, seemingly composed-as-could-be and still prioritizing his wellbeing.

Just short of staring at her with his mouth open, Cal quickly recovered, saying, "Ice water would be lovely, thank you."

Miss Kruger nodded, giving him a small smile as she turned to go. Before she could, however, Cal spoke again. "A- Miss Kruger. About last night-"

"It's alright, Mr. Hockley. Perhaps we could talk later, after I've put Evelyn to bed."

He gazed at her from behind his glasses, grateful again for her tact.

She seemed to think for a second then added, "There's a lecture this evening… on tidepools and shoreline conservation. Apparently there's a professor who summers here and offers it as a service to the resort. I was already planning to attend, you see, so it wouldn't be improper if you decided-"

"I'll be there." Cal finished, saving her the need to give an explanation.

With another smile and a nod, she thanked him, finally giving in to Evelyn's insistence as they both headed inside.