His eyes scanned my plain gray dress, as if searching for a uniform that wasn’t there.

“Evelyn,” Father said, his voice losing its usual booming authority.

“What is he talking about?” Father asked.

“He is talking about my job, Father,” I said.

“You told us you worked in logistics,” Caroline said, her voice rising as she stood up.

Her chair scraped loudly against the hardwood floor.

“I do,” I said. “I oversee logistics and readiness for the entire Eastern Fleet.”

Caroline’s face flushed red.

“This is a joke,” she said, looking at Nathan for support.

“Nathan, tell me this is some kind of military humor,” she pleaded.

“It is not a joke, Caroline,” Nathan said.

“If the Admiral commands me to leave this room right now, I have to leave,” Nathan added.

He looked back at me, his forehead glistening with a thin sheen of sweat under the crystal chandelier.

“Ma’am, I apologize for the intrusion,” Nathan said. “I had no idea of your relation.”

“Sit down, Commander,” I said, pointing to his chair.

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said.

He sat, but he did not lean back.