pretty the past couple of weeks. “I’m marrying him. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. And that’s that.”
“Or maybe he’s everything your father ever wanted.”
The carriage bumped over a rut jostling her. But she rapidly regained her composure and lifted her chin. “I chose Nathaniel. My father had nothing to do with it.”
Tom shrugged. Let her think what she wanted. He knew, however, that Mr. Cole wasn’t the type of man to play roulette with his daughter’s choice of a marriage partner. Tom had no doubt Henry Cole had been intimately involved in each of the negotiations long before Victoria had accepted the proposals.
“Maybe you’ve been picking the wrong kind of men.”
“And I suppose you’re the expert on the type of man I need?”
“Maybe.”
“There you go being arrogant again and thinking you know everything about everyone.”
He bit back a smile. He was enjoying this spar with her far too much. These were the kinds of heart-to-heart conversations he was supposed to avoid if he wanted the wall to stay up between them, though. He crossed his arms and settled into the thick seat cushion. A few more minutes wouldn’t hurt, would it? The clatter of the horse hoofs on the cobblestone and the rattle of a nearby omnibus drifted in through the half-open window, bringing with it the waft of the delicacies served in the exotic restaurants they were passing.
He lobbed out his answer and waited for her to explode. “I know more than you think.”
She sat forward and fisted her hands in her lap as though to keep from reaching out and slapping him. “You might be smart about a lot of things. But you certainly don’t have me all figured out, even if you think you do.”
“You’re afraid of getting married.”
“That’s not true.”
“I can see the fear in your eyes.”
Her long lashes fell down and veiled her soul, but not before he’d glimpsed the truth.
He was right. He’d seen fear in her eyes from time to time. And he realized now that the fear wasn’t related to the attack. He should have guessed it had to do with her upcoming marriage. The signs had all been there—running away from two other fiancés, her shallow relationship with Nathaniel, a lack of enthusiasm.
Sure, she spent most her time planning for the wedding and honeymoon. And the last few days she’d been busy packing for the move to Newport. But all of it was a convenient distraction. A way to keep busy. So she didn’t have to think about the real issue. She was afraid of getting married.
But why? What drove her fear?
It wasn’t his place to ask. In fact, the entire conversation was out of place. But now that he’d started it, he needed to finish. “You should tell him,” he said, trying to gentle his tone.
Her lashes swept up, revealing her eyes again. This time they were luminous, the golden flecks mesmerizing, the vulnerability magnetic. “Tell him what?”
“That you’re afraid.” Tom held her gaze, hoping to infuse her with the courage she would need to face the task. “He’s a decent guy. He’ll understand.”
The carriage was slowing, and the surroundings told him they were nearing Delmonico’s.
“If you admit your fear to yourself and to him, then maybe this time you can face it instead of running away.” Even as he spoke the words to her, they hit him in the gut. He could dole out advice. But he wasn’t great at following it. He’d been running away from his past for ten years.
The rolling wheels jolted to a halt. Outside the carriage, Nathaniel’s voice was followed by Theresa’s laughter. The heart-to-heart moment with Victoria was over. But neither of them moved to open the door.
Finally, she surprised him by doing the last thing he expected. She reached across the carriage and took his hand into hers, folding her silky gloved fingers around his. She smiled up at him with the same kind of sweetness he’d seen her dole out to Theresa and Nathaniel and her parents. “Thank you, Mr. Cushman. Maybe I’ve misjudged you. Maybe you’re a nicer man than you’ve led me to believe.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m still the mean guy.”
Her smile widened. “I don’t believe you.”
“Just wait. You’ll hate me again soon enough.”
She released his hand and reached for the door. “You might act tough. But you can’t fool me any longer. Underneath you’re a big softy just like Arch.”
“Definitely not a softy.”
She winked. “I promise I won’t give away your secret.”