Free A Promise for Tomorrow by Judith Pella

take away the attraction of a Pittsburgh terminus.
    “As for Wheeling, and I know this is your preference”—Latrobe marked the surveyed route with his finger—“it has a great deal of potential. It is a U.S. port of entry on the Ohio, and they are soon to become the home of the world’s first wire suspension bridge across the same. Wheeling would solve the question of a Virginia-based terminus, and it already has the National Road, which brings in a great deal of freight and passengers.”
    Latrobe continued with the negative aspects of Wheeling. Something was mentioned of the location creating its own problem with three different proposed routes from Cumberland to Wheeling.
    “I’m sorry, what did you say?” James asked, realizing his mind had wandered again.
    Latrobe sat back and pulled off his glasses. As he gently rubbed the lenses he glanced across the table to James. “You’ve not been yourself since your arrival in Harper’s Ferry. Want to tell me about it?”
    James shrugged. “I don’t suppose it would do any harm. Seems you are always helping me through my messes anyway.”
    Latrobe laughed. “And you have yet another mess?”
    “The biggest yet.” James leaned back against the leather-bound chair. “My wife and I have reached a point of disagreement.”
    “Is that all?” Latrobe replied. “Buy her a lovely trinket, apologize on bended knee, and complete the act by sweeping her into your arms. Minor conflicts have a way of not appearing quite so major an ordeal when a little humility is practiced.”
    “I’m afraid this is much more than a minor conflict. In fact, it is several very large conflicts all rolled together into one large, consuming problem.”
    “I see. Well, we have several hours ahead of us, so why don’t you tell me all about it?”
    “I wish I could. The fact is, I find it difficult to sort through it all in my own mind. First and foremost is the situation my father created.” Latrobe eyed him curiously but said nothing, and James quickly continued. “My father, suffice it to say, practiced a bit of underhandedness, and my wife found out about it. The biggest problem in that was that it also affected her father, and she took that quite personally.”
    “I can understand why. Most women tend to be very defensive in regard to their family.”
    “Yes, well, that’s putting it mildly. Carolina refuses to forgive my father, and the situation is further frustrated in that he recently suffered a heart attack—in our home—and is dying. I left for Harper’s Ferry, with Carolina being forced to remain behind to care for him.”
    “I’m sorry to learn about your father’s attack. And you are right, that makes it more than an issue of trinkets and bended knee,” Latrobe replied as he put his glasses back on. He squinted a couple of times as if to adjust the focus, then continued. “You say she refuses to forgive him, yet she must care for him while he dies?”
    “Yes. The doctor was supposed to send someone over to help us, but the woman he had in mind was unavailable and no one else seemed suitable. My father’s presence has added additional burdens to Carolina’s already busy schedule, and given her feelings toward him, I know that weight to be doubled—if not tripled. Furthermore, I made matters worse by arguing with her about how much of this was my fault. I upset my father, and he probably wouldn’t have had the attack in the first place had I left well enough alone.”
    “You cannot possibly know that, James. Besides, how can you take responsibility for your father’s actions and health?”
    “That’s what Carolina said. I argued with her that if I’d only paid better attention to his needs, if I’d been a better son, then maybe he would never have found the need to cheat and deceive.”
    “His nature is what it is,” Latrobe said in a nonchalant manner. “I doubt seriously that you would have swayed his nature by being more attentive. Without knowing