Unhappy at home without the love of his life, and now determined to remain a bachelor until such time as she agreed to marry him, Frank left for Montreal three days later. In September, April moved to St John’s with her sister where six months later she met and eventually married, 27 year old Mitchell Rowe, a Sea-going captain who had originally hailed from Trinity. The marriage was a short and unhappy one. Unbeknown to April, Mitchell had been having an affair with a married woman before they had met, and it had continued throughout their courtship, nor did it stop after their marriage. In addition to this, he had begun to drink heavily whenever he was in port. April loathed drunkenness and considered ending the marriage on that account, but upon learning of the affair she moved out immediately. Two years later she moved to Toronto, where she filed for and obtained a divorce. Frank in the meantime, continued to lead a reclusive life in Montreal bereft of any female companionship. He had learned of April’s marriage and the subsequent break-up but did not attempt any communication at the time, as she was still legally married to another man. Becoming disillusioned with Montreal, he moved to Boston where an uncle had emigrated more than thirty years before, and where he had now built a thriving construction business. It was while living in Boston that he learned of April’s divorce and soon began a letter correspondence that would continue for the next twenty-five years. The riff between Frank and his mother never completely healed, though he did return home when she was diagnosed with terminal Cancer in 1979. After his mother’s death, he decided to remain in Newfoundland and went about building a house in Pilgrims Bight. During this time he continued to live with his father whose appearance belied his more than eighty years. The following Spring, Frank took a seasonal job with the Department of Highways, and left the interior of his house to be finished the following winter. During all this time the letter correspondence between him and April continued though few knew about it except him and the local postmaster.

Horatio Goodman died suddenly in his sleep on December 3, 1982. His son Frank, surprised that his father hadn’t risen by 8 o’clock, knocked on his bedroom door and when there was no answer entered the room. He appeared to be sleeping, but Frank knew immediately that his father was dead. The morning would be filled with visits from a doctor sent from nearby Comfort Cove, police from the nearest detachment, and finally the undertaker. Later that afternoon there would be a visit from the parish priest. Horatio had left the old house and had been living with his son, who now spend  most of the winter cloistered inside with his beloved books, for reading had long been his passion.  His correspondence with April continued and that Spring he suggested that she come home for a visit and perhaps to resume their romance. It was not until July that she arrived in the bight and to the house of her niece, Joyce Oldford. Thereafter, at approximately 8 PM each evening, if one was watching, (and some were), it was a common  sight to see a well groomed and tastefully dressed Frank Goodman, the former recluse, walk smartly down the road to the Oldford house. Furthermore, if one stayed up to watch (and again some did),  they would see the same, dare I say young man, for so he appeared, returning home at the approach of midnight.
On November 7, 1983 Frank Goodman and April Cranford exchanged vows at City Hall in St. John’s and after a luncheon with a small group of friends, returned to Pilgrims Bight as husband and wife. The lovebirds had nineteen years of wedded bliss. April died in December of 2002 and Frank three months later.