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come?” asked Aunt Mary as soon as Norah landed at the Port Schofield dock. Norah nodded curtly.
    â€œIsn’t he nice? Do you like him? I think there’s something really special about Andrew.”
    Norah kept her face straight ahead, trying to conceal her scowl.

4
    Andrew
    A fter the children’s dinner Norah took out the canoe. The steady pull of the paddle soothed her jangled feelings and she pretended she was the only person on the lake. But just as she came back around the corner of Little Island she heard Gavin calling her. Every evening the whole family had to gather in the living room for games and reading aloud.
    Gavin waited while Norah lifted up the canoe. “Did you know Andrew once caught a lake trout that was as big as Denny ?” he told her.
    â€œThat’s impossible,” snapped Norah.
    She lingered in the doorway of the living room, looking for Andrew so she could sit as far away from him as possible. He was on one side of the fireplace, Denny on his lap and the rest of the cousins as close to him as they could get. Gavin skipped over to join them.
    Aunt Bea leaned towards Andrew, an eager look on her foolish face. “Now tell us about your mother. Is she over that dreadful flu?”
    â€œIt wasn’t flu, it was a cold,” said Aunt Florence.
    â€œIt was flu!” cried Aunt Bea, her hair falling out of its pins. “She told us in her last letter!”
    â€œIt was a cold,” Aunt Florence repeated firmly. “You know you never read letters properly, Bea—you must make up things you think you’ve read.”
    â€œI certainly do not!”
    â€œNow, now, you two,” interrupted Uncle Reg. “Why don’t you ask Andrew? Surely he knows.”
    Andrew had been throwing amused glances at Flo. “I think it was … a kind of flu-y cold,” he said carefully. “And she’s fine now.”
    â€œDo you want to come sailing with Gerald and me tomorrow, Andrew?” Flo asked him.
    â€œSure! I wonder if I remember how. But you two are such experts, you can show me what to do.”
    â€œCan I come?” Clare asked.
    â€œAnd me?” said Janet and Peter at the same time.
    â€œWe’ll let Andrew get used to the boat again, then you can each have a turn,” said Uncle Gerald.
    Andrew glanced all the way across the room at Norah, who had been staring at him. She quickly lowered her eyes.
    â€œDo you like sailing, Norah?”
    â€œNot much,” she shrugged.
    â€œBut you love sailing!” Gavin gave his sister a puzzled look, then said to Andrew, “I like sailing and I don’t take up very much room.”
    Andrew laughed. “Then you can be our first passenger.”
    â€œTell us about university,” said Uncle Gerald. “You’re taking COTC classes along with your regular engineeringcourse, right? How soon can you be an officer?”
    â€œIn a few years,” said Andrew.
    â€œI certainly envy you. If it wasn’t for these darned eyes …”
    â€œIt must have been frustrating for you, being turned down,” said Andrew quietly.
    â€œWell I’m certainly kept busy. It was difficult to take this month off.”
    â€œDid you know Gerald left his law firm to be an aircraft assembly inspector, Andrew?” said Aunt Bea proudly.
    â€œBut it’s not the real thing,” said Uncle Gerald. He fingered the small button he always wore on his lapel. “And even if they gave me this, people don’t realize that I was turned down. You should hear some of the comments I get, from complete strangers!”
    Norah had never seen his placid face look so agitated. Aunt Anne took his arm. “Never mind about them. We know you would be fighting if you could.”
    â€œIf I was young, I wouldn’t go on any officer training scheme,” said Uncle Barclay gruffly. “I’d join up now! After all, with the Russian victory and the Americans