Chapter 3

This is the diary of a Rose . . .

March 4, 1947

My name is Rose Degan, and I am 19 years old.

This is my first diary.

After the events of yesterday, I have decided I must keep one.

Yesterday was a very exciting day in Cape Elizabeth, and in my life, because I met the most handsome man . . .

I was currently workingin the history section of the town library, where I was responsible for dusting the books and the shelves. It was without a doubt the worst possible assignment that my boss, Mr. Young, could give to anyone, but for some reason, he seemed to enjoy assigning it to me.

At the nine-minute mark, my brother JT came running around the corner, and I was on a ladder. He almost knocked me off it. Because he was so out of breath, I began to feel panicked. “JT, what is it? Is everything okay?” I enquired while frantically searching him from head to toe for any signs of injury.

“Sis, will you take me to watch the rescue at sea?”

”What in the world are you talking about?” JT had a reputation for making up stories every once in a while.

”Walt reported that a collier ship was unable to navigate the storm and ran aground at Two Lights. I beg you, are you going to take me?”

I could tell Mr. Young a harmless fib because it was not as if I was extremely busy right now, and the dust would still be there the next day. Having made up my mind, I grabbed JT by the hand and left him for a short while with Emma before going in search of Mr. Young to inform him that I was sick with a ”female” problem.

I left his office a short time later, grinned to myself as I went. The reaction of my boss was exactly what I anticipated it would be. First, his face turned as red as a tomato, and then he slumped down into his chair. He looked like he was about to pass out. He most likely hoped that I wasn”t about to reveal any additional information.

After hastily gathering my belongings and JT, the two of us set off in the direction of Two Lights alongside a large number of the town”s inhabitants.

As we got closer, we could hear cheers coming from everyone. It sounded more like a celebration than a search and rescue mission.

A friend from school named Sarah could be seen standing not too far away with her older sister. As soon as she noticed us, we began to make our way over to them, which proved to be quite challenging due to the fact that JT was attempting to pull me in the opposite direction.

JT pulled on my hand and said, ”Sis, I want to go over there to see Walt and Levi,” for the umpteenth time.

”Give me a moment while I find out what”s going on by first speaking with Sarah. Then I’ll take you over there.”

I didn”t pay any attention to JT as he moaned and groaned about why he always had to do what the adults told him to do.

”Sarah, what exactly is going on?” I asked, after we”d finished hugging each other. Sarah was the kindest of people, and she embraced everyone she met. At first, she would make me feel awkward, but now that I”d gotten used to her, I found that I enjoyed the familiarity.

”They launched a breeches buoy to the vessel, and at this time they are rescuing members of the crew. Everyone claps and cheers whenever they successfully bring another person to shore.”

”I wonder if they require any assistance,” I commented at large. Matilda, Sarah”s sister, who was always so prim and proper gave me a dark glare.

Finally, after about ten minutes of polite conversation, I allowed JT to steer me toward Levi and Walt, his two best friends and, on more than one occasion, partners in crime.

While I did my best to keep an eye on JT, the air was still a little bit chilly, and gusts of wind kept wrapping around me and tossing me around. There was already a sufficient amount of chaos; there was no need for JT and his friends to contribute to it.

When I turned my head to look around, I saw a very good-looking man staring at me. I stilled, and at that precise instant, every sound vanished, and the two of us were the only ones in this location. Unfortunately, I quickly came to my senses when he started walking toward me with a nonchalant grace, which caused my heart to flutter wildly in my chest.

He had a face that exudes an air of intellectual allure. Because of his imposing shoulders, the coat that he wore was completely filled, and his stance drew attention to the strength of his thighs and the narrowness of his hips. The way that a section of his dark brown, wavy hair fell carelessly across his forehead lent him an air of boyish charm.

As he stood in front of me, his eyes were locked on mine, and they brimmed with attraction. His lips twitched slightly. ”Hello,” he said, the chocolate smoothnessin his voice came through clearly. ”I haven”t seen you around here before.” When he smiled, his teeth stood out against his tanned face.

”I”m Rose.” I greeted him nervously by holding out my handto him, and the moment our palms touched, I got the sensation that I”d been hit by lightning. It appeared that he was taken aback as well, judging by the look of surprise on his face.

He clearedhis throat. ”Jacob Evans. It”s been just about a month since I moved to Cape Elizabeth. Do you live in this general area?” His eyes had me completely enthralled.

”Not far away, and in close proximity to the beach. I”m employed here in town, at the public library.”

JT came running over.“Sis?” He alternated his gaze between the two of us. ”What the heck is going on? Why are you talking to him?” he asked while pointing at Jacob. “You’re supposed to be marrying Richard, you can’t talk to him.”

The hasty comment made by JT hurt. Even though he was only a teenager, I really wished I had the power to silence him, especially now that he”d brought up Richard. Ugh. Brothers!

I quickly glanced over at Jacob to see what reaction he had to the statement made by my brother, and I saw disappointment cross his features as he released my hand and stepped back.

JT, whose impatience was really starting to irritate me, said, ”Rose, come on.”

”It”s probably best if I go with him,” I said.”I hope to see you again.” JT was finally successful in dragging me away.

”I hope so,” he said with a tinge of longing in his voice.

Before I lost sight of him completely, I cast aglance back, only to find his eyes locked on my retreating figure. My heart hadn’t slowed down from its frantic pace yet.

”Sis, now that you”re engaged to Richard, you really shouldn”t be having conversations with random men.”

”JT, I will not marry Richard, not now, not ever, and one day Mother and Father will understand that.”

Jayne, my very best friend, stopped by the house after dinner to see me. I yanked her around the corner and made her sit in the garden. I didn”t want anyone else to hear what I had to say to her, but by the end of the evening, I”d wishing I”d kept it to myself because she told me I was being stupid. That it was impossible to develop feelings of attraction for someone you had only just met.

* * *

March 8, 1947

Richard came calling today . . .

Since the lasttime I saw Jacob, it had been four days, and every time I took a stroll through the town, I found myself looking for him. Why hadn”t I inquired as to where he was employed? I informed him that I worked at the library; however, it was possible that he didn”t want to see me, which caused me more distress than it should.

My mother had been trying to get me to focus on Richard even though I”d been spending most of my time daydreaming about Jacob. Richard was the only child of Bernard and Evelyn, who also happened to be the owners of a number of businesses in the area, including the local newspaper, a hotel in Boston, and a few other local enterprises. Because of this, it came as no surprise that my parents thought him an excellent catch. My mother did not seem to grasp the concept that the reason I wanted to get married is because of love, not because of money or status.

Richard was a tall, blond-haired man with blue eyes; however, he was more interested in tinkering with cars than he was in me, or in anyone else for that matter. Actually, I found him to be quite boring. On each of the two dates I”d had with him, I”d been counting down the minutes until I could get backhome. I’d only agreed to go on them to stop my parents from bothering me about him.

Today, I was attempting to conceal my location by snoozing in the hammock in the garden. Mother was allergic to virtually everything that could cause an allergy; as a result, despite the fact that she adored the garden, you would never find her actually working in it. She was not going to put herself through the ordeal of breaking out in hivesin order to locate me. At the very least, I really hoped that she wouldn’t.

”Rose, what are you doing in here?”

“Richard?” I was on the verge of tumbling out of the hammock because of him. ”What are you doing here?”

”It shouldn”t be a surprise that I”m here to see you,” he replied.

What was it about that response that made me feel anxious?

He assisted me in getting out of the hammock and led me to the bench that was located inside the recently constructed gazebo.

”Rose, how are you doing?” He looked anxiously around the garden while shuffling his feet nervously.

”I”m fine. I”m grateful that you asked. ”How are you?” I loathed polite conversation with a passion.

”Good, good.” He started to walk in a circle in front of me, going back and forth.

“Richard… I beg you to halt.” As I watched him, I found myself saying, ”You”re making me dizzy.What the heck is wrong with you?”

He stopped walking in circles and then uttered the one word that I was desperately hoping he did not say. “Marriage.”

I immediately shoot up to my feet and stand in front of him. ”I beg you not to propose marriage to me. Please.We don”t even know each other.”

”It”s what both of our parents want.” He moved away from me and sat down on the bench before turning his attention to the ocean and appearing to be deep in thought.

”Richard, do you love me?” I was waiting for his response as I stood to the side of him.

He looked at me. “No.”

I let out a sigh of relief. ”I don”t love you either, and if I ever marry, it will be because of love, not because of our parents,” I toldhim.”That ought to be one of your goals as well. You can”t possibly expect to be content if you don”t haveromantic feelings toward your spouse, can you?”

He grabbed my hands and pulled me down onto the bench next to him. ”Oh, Rose, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your candor with me. I concur with what you said. My current priorities do not include getting married and starting a family. In point of fact, I think it”s about time that I take charge of my own life rather than constantly having it directed for me. However, I would treasure the opportunity to call you a friend.”

I raised a grin to his face. ”Friendship would be lovely,” I saidwith some degree of relief.