He pulled an iPad from his jacket and touched it a few times, then offered the screen. The facade of a magnificent Victorian theater leapt onto the display; wide, sweeping marble steps led to an outer patio, stained-glass windows led into the foyer. Adam ran a finger over the screen; she could see the audience, the mezzanine, the orchestra pit and the balconies. He touched the iPad again—she saw the size and majesty of the stage.
“It’s a beautiful theater, fantastic really! Where is it?”
“Alexandria, Virginia. Easy access from DC and Northern Virginia. People even come up from Richmond for performances,” Adam told her.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, waiting. Had Thor finagled her a position at the theater? “Is it public, or private, or...”
“I’ve just purchased it,” Adam said.
“Oh!”
“But it needs management—an artistic director. Frankly, I just wanted to buy it. It was up for sale, and it could have gone the way of many a beautiful old historic property.”
“Well, I know something about running the books, but—”
“I believe we can hire a bookkeeper. But! We need someone who knows plays, who knows actors and actresses, a casting process...and, of course, someone who performs, themselves, someone who can make children love theater.”
Clara looked at Thor, amazed, worried. “You are joining the Krewe, right?”
“I am,” Thor said.
“Did you...did you ask Mr. Harrison to buy a theater because...”
“Oh, no, no—I bought the theater a few months ago,” Adam said. “And now these strange cases, and a call from Jackson...and here Josh and I are, aboard the Fate!” He had such a great smile and he shrugged with one of those grins. “I mean, hey, seems like fate to me, right?”
“Oh, thank you! But, I... I’m afraid! That’s major—”
“I haven’t seen you afraid enough not to fight, ever,” Thor said lightly.
“Are you kidding me? Say yes!”
She hadn’t realized she hadn’t closed her door. Ralph, Simon, Larry and Connie were just outside, listening to every word.
Ralph walked in and introduced himself boldly, saying he’d be delighted to help with such an enterprise and that they were an ensemble, ready to really give every bit of energy and talent they had to make a go of such a place.
Then Larry and Simon were in the room, and everyone was talking and somewhere in it all, she said, “Yes, yes! As soon as we finish out our contracts here, of course.”
Everyone was kissing her—even Josh, with a cool brush on her cheek.
There was champagne; people talked and talked. She finally changed, and they met on the Promenade Deck and talked some more.
And finally, very late, she wound up out on the deck with Thor. They could see the crystal glaciers rising by the ship’s light, because even in Alaskan waters, it was nearly dark by then.
They kissed.
“We’ll both be away from home,” she murmured. “Hm, maybe home is where the huskies are?”
It seemed impossible. They’d both start life anew. Even Jackson, in his way.
“You are home to me,” Thor told her, his lips close, his whisper sweet, and it all ended with a fantastic kiss in the gentle chill of the night air and the strange display of light and shadow that was an Alaskan late summer night.
Clara was seeking just the right thing to say as their lips parted, but she never had the chance.
They were interrupted.
“Sweet! Oh, yeah, how almost flippingly nauseatingly sweet!”
Of course, it was Amelia, looking faint and pale.
Clara laughed and said, “Oh, Amelia. Join us!”
Amelia came to them. She’d been wearing one of her cocky expressions, but that wavered and her eyes were wide when she said, “I’m scared.”
Clara noted then that Thor was looking outward—toward the glacier. He shook his head. “Strange,” he said. “There’s a ray of light. It doesn’t seem to be from the ship. It’s not moonlight, and I don’t see what else...”
He broke off. Clara knew why. The light was different from anything she’d ever seen. It seemed to pour in a glittering and golden line toward them.
She heard Thor inhale and say softly, “Mandy.”
She saw the woman, too. She was part of the light. She was beautiful with dark hair and large eyes and a face that was serene and perfect. And she smiled and reached out a hand.
She wasn’t looking at Clara—or even Thor.
“A friend,” Clara said softly. “Amelia, you don’t need to be afraid. You have a friend—you won’t be alone.”
“Oh!” Amelia said.
“Just go forward. Take her hand.”
Amelia turned to look at Clara. “You would have been such a great friend. But I’d have been too stupid to know it...to care.”
“You never know,” Clara said. “I feel I’m saying goodbye to a friend.”
“A good friend,” Thor said.
Amelia hesitated a minute longer and then shrugged. “Maybe they have a form of television up there. Oh! You do think I’m going up?” she asked nervously.
“Mandy is definitely going up,” Thor said. “And she’s waiting for you.”
Amelia nodded. And she moved forward and took the hand offered to her—the hand of Mandy Brandt.
Thor slipped his arm around Clara. It was an Alaskan sky, yes...
But the light show that they saw then seemed to rival anything, anywhere in the world.