meals with her, hadn’t come to the house for breaks.
James was angry with Tom, and at least once a day she heard him encourage Tom to humble himself and work out his problems with his wife. But Tom remained as silent and unmoving with his dad as he was with her.
He was tense and on high alert, back to his bodyguard role. She suspected he wasn’t getting much sleep. He was always up early in the morning, and she never heard him come in the house at night. Even though his words about expecting the attacker to arrive any day had scared her a little at first, she’d quickly shed her fear. If someone really decided to come all the way to Race Point to attack her, she had no doubt Tom would keep her safe.
When Tom waved to a rusty cutter docking on the waterfront, Victoria’s heart gave a leap. Jimmy had come. Finally. And from the lack of usual supplies weighing down his boat, she knew that he’d come for her.
Even though her pulse pattered with both trepidation and anticipation, she quickly put into place the plan she’d been formulating since she’d sent the telegram. She’d already had her bags mostly packed, so it only took her a matter of seconds to finish stowing away the few toiletries she’d used that morning. As she made her way downstairs, she rehearsed what she would tell Zelma.
“I’m going to Provincetown today,” she said after bending down and kissing Zelma’s head, as she’d grown accustomed to doing in the mornings. But this time she couldn’t meet the perceptive woman’s gaze. “I’ve arranged to visit with some of my friends there.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie. She was going to Provincetown and meeting with friends. But it was more than a simple visit.
“That sounds like fun, dear,” Zelma said, resting her hand on the open Bible in front of her. Her cup of coffee sat next to the big book. “But surely you know by now that you’re welcome to invite your friends to visit here. I’d love the chance to meet them.”
“You’re too kind.” She couldn’t keep from bending and drawing the dear woman into an embrace. Her hug probably lasted a smidgen too long, because when she finally stood and tried to keep her tears at bay, Zelma’s brows came together.
“Why, Victoria, what’s wrong?”
What wasn’t wrong? She forced a smile and infused cheer into her voice. “I’ll just miss you. That’s all.”
The crease between Zelma’s brows didn’t go away. If anything, the lines in Zelma’s face deepened.
Victoria wanted to say that she loved her, for she truly had grown to love Tom’s parents, even if they were a tad exuberant at times. But if she allowed herself to become even more emotional, she’d only raise Zelma’s suspicions further. Besides, she had no time to waste. She had to reach the cutter before Tom could stop her.
When she chanced one more kiss upon Zelma’s head, the woman reached for her hand and clasped it tightly. For a moment, Zelma looked as though she might say something more. But then she simply smiled, a little too sadly, and let go. “God be with you, dear.”
As Victoria picked up her bag in the hallway and rushed out the front door, guilt trailed her. She tried to shake it loose as she ran down the beach toward Jimmy, who’d just secured the boat. From the corner of her vision, she could see that Tom was lowering himself to the ground. She had no doubt he’d already figured out Jimmy hadn’t come to deliver supplies.
“Victoria,” Tom called. “Stop!”
Without acknowledging him, she continued down the sandy embankment until she reached the dock.
Jimmy welcomed her with a gap-toothed smile that crinkled his brittle face. “Mrs. Cushman, you’re just the person I was hoping to see.”
“Same with you.”
Jimmy dug into his coat pocket and retrieved a folded sheet of paper. “A fancy young gentleman told me to give this to you. He paid me good money to make sure that I put it directly into your hands and none other. And he told me he’d pay me double to give you a ride into Provincetown today.”
Victoria took the paper with shaking hands. She was glad Nathaniel had followed her instructions and hadn’t insisted on coming to get her himself. She wasn’t sure how she would have explained his presence to Zelma.
As it was, she had to convince Jimmy to leave right away without lingering for his usual meal. She