“My mother lived in lighthouses, too,” she said. “Her father was a retired sea-captain turned lighthouse keeper.”
“Yes. Your grandfather was well respected.”
She wasn’t surprised Tom already knew that information about her since he seemed to know everything else. “I always enjoyed visiting him, although it wasn’t often.” He’d passed away three years ago, and she’d never expected that she’d ever visit a lighthouse again.
“Then you’ll resign yourself to hiding at Race Point?” he asked.
“It’s not my preference, but I shall try.”
“Good.”
It would certainly be a world apart from Boston or Philadelphia. But she could survive a month there, couldn’t she? She loved seeing the inner workings of the lantern and the view from the top of the tower. Although she wouldn’t have nearly as much to do, the lighthouse would hopefully be stocked with books, so she would get plenty of reading time. Surely there would be cards for games. Maybe she could practice her sketching. She’d had lessons several years ago and had found that she was actually quite good at it, a talent she must have inherited from her mother, who’d filled sketch books before she’d gone blind. And if she grew too bored or restless, perhaps she could convince Tom to take her to Boston for a few days. Surely he’d be willing to do that.
As Jimmy sailed around the bend of Provincetown Harbor, the wind and the waves increased in intensity. The cutter rose on the swell of another large wave lifting her from the bench and threatening to wrestle her hat from her head in spite of the pins. Tom slipped his arm around her middle and held her firmly against his side. Once again she was conscious of the pressure of his body against hers, the hold of his fingers on her arm.
The roar of the wind and the crash of the waves made any further talking difficult. She was content to rest against him, knowing she was secure, even though the waves seemed to engulf the little boat.
When a distant tower began to come into sight, Tom’s arm around her began to relax. The conical tower was made of brick and painted white with a wide black lantern room at the top. It wasn’t as tall as the last lighthouse her grandfather had operated, but she could see that it was a solid structure over forty feet tall. It sat well away from the shore amidst low growing shrubs that apparently were able to thrive in the arid soil.
Next to the lighthouse, but not connected, stood a large keeper’s house, likely roomy enough for two families, the keeper’s and his assistant’s. The red shingles on the roof contrasted the white of the house, making for a bright spot of color amidst the endless waves of wind-sculpted sand dunes. Two other small structures sat nearby, and Victoria guessed one to be the oil house and the other a fog signal house.
“Remember,” Tom said as the boat drew nearer the shore. “We need to act like we have a real marriage.”
She pulled back slightly to see his face. “Will we really be able to convince your parents?”
He was staring straight ahead, his expression rigid. “We have to try.”
“Don’t you think they’ll see through our charade?”
“Not if we’re good actors.”
“We’re bound to slip up from time to time,” she said. “I think we’d be better off admitting the truth to them.”
“If they discover the true nature of our relationship, they won’t let us stay together.”
At his insinuation, she fidgeted with her skirt.
“They’re God-fearing people,” he continued. “They have strong ideas about what marriage should be like. If they learn I’m only married to you temporarily as part of my job, they wouldn’t consider the union valid. They’d insist that I find another place to live.”
“Where would you go?”
“There’s nowhere else. And even if there were, it’s my job to watch over you.”
“True.” He was still first and foremost her bodyguard.
“Besides,” he said, “it’s safer if everyone believes we’re happily married. Then we won’t have any accidental slipups.”
She hesitated. It was one thing to act in front of people they would never see again, like the older couple on the steamship. But his parents? She didn’t have a good feeling about deceiving them. But what else could they do? “Very well. If you really think we should.”
He nodded as if the matter were settled. “We need to get our back ground information straight.”
As Jimmy guided the boat toward a nearby pier, Tom rapidly outlined the story of