glanced over her shoulder to see that Tom was almost to the ground. From the slant of his brows, she could see that he was frustrated.
“I’m ready to go.” She tossed her bag into the boat and began to climb in.
“Whoa there.” Jimmy caught her and eased her down. “What’s your hurry?”
“It’s such a lovely day for a ride.”
Jimmy’s weathered face wrinkled. “You’re going to cry?”
She shook her head, even though he was close to the truth. She did feel like crying. “I’m fine. I’ll just miss being here.”
Jimmy’s expression remained confused. “Kiss him here?”
“Kiss who?”
“Eh?” This time Jimmy put his hand to his ear, and she realized he hadn’t understood a word she’d spoken.
“Victoria, don’t leave,” Tom called, sprinting toward the boat. He was attired in the work clothes that he’d worn since arriving to Race Point. Several buttons were undone on the shirt, and paint stains dotted his trousers.
She hadn’t expected to be able to leave without Tom making an effort to stop her. But now that she was in the boat, the only way he could get her out was by bodily lifting her against her will. “I’m going and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
His boots clomped across the dock until he towered over her, his shadow dwarfing her.
“You asked Nathaniel to come get you. He’s waiting in Provincetown. And is planning to take you home.”
He was right. As usual. “Does it matter?” She arranged her skirt around her legs and refused to look up at him.
“Yes, it matters.”
Her head snapped up, and she was embarrassed by her desire to hear him tell her that she mattered, that he didn’t want her to go, that he didn’t want to lose her. If he would but say the words she would stay. She would climb out and never leave him.
The muscles in his jaw flexed, and he rubbed a hand across his eyes, as though trying to block her out. “Victoria,” he said in a soft agonized voice. “Don’t do this. You’re making things harder.”
“How?”
“It’s easier to watch for the attacker here.”
Disappointment rushed through her. He hadn’t changed his mind. He truly didn’t want her to stay for himself.
“Jimmy,” she called to the old fisherman who stood at the stern, his wide-eyed gaze flying back and forth between her and Tom. “I’m ready to go.”
“I’m going with you,” Tom stated. “But I need to change out of these old clothes first.”
She shrugged. She’d suspected he wouldn’t let her sail away unless he came along. Even if he didn’t love her and didn’t want her, he’d never shirk his responsibilities as long as he was her bodyguard.
Tom glanced at the house as though debating whether he should chance leaving her with Jimmy.
She released a humorless laugh. “You surely don’t think Jimmy will hurt me.”
“Of course not. But I’m worried that you’ll sway him into starting off without me.”
“If I do, you’ll just chase me down.”
“True.”
“Then go change and say goodbye to your mom. I’ll wait.”
He was back in less than five minutes, wearing his dark navy trousers and matching suit coat over a white shirt. They were slightly wrinkled, and the day-old growth on his jaw and cheeks was out of place, but otherwise he looked sharp and gentlemanly and much too handsome.
He helped Jimmy prepare for their departure, and once they were underway, she was surprised when Tom took the seat next to her. With the sun shining down on them and the spray of salt water hitting the cutter, she was reminded of their ride out to Race Point, of the attraction that had already been building between them, of the promises and possibilities the month would bring.
If only she didn’t feel as though she were returning as a failure, that somehow she’d ruined her marriage and wasn’t enough for him.
He didn’t say anything for most of the journey. Even though she was tempted to engage him in conversation, she refrained. She’d said all she had to say earlier in the week when he’d given her the telegrams. She’d poured out her heart in one last desperate attempt to win him. But he’d rejected her with a finality that told her he’d already made up his stubborn mind, that nothing she could say or do would sway him.
“I wish you would have waited,” he said quietly as the cutter moved into the bay and the outline of Provincetown grew visible on the shore.
“I’ve waited long enough. If someone was really planning to attack me again,