Forever Safe (Beacons of Hope) (18 page)

Mom reached for Dad’s hand and looked up at him with respect. “That’s because your dad insisted on working through any issues before we climbed into bed.”

Tom glanced overhead to Victoria’s room, which was silent. Maybe she’d already fallen asleep. Or what if she was awake and threw the brush at him?

“You can do it,” Dad said, as if sensing his hesitancy.

“Your dad always figured out a way to soften my heart.” Mom giggled. “Remember the time when I was upset about having to move again, and you went out and dug up all my tulip bulbs so that I could take them with us?”

Dad nodded.

“Or that especially hot summer after Ruth was born when I was grouchy all the time. You made me my own private tidal pool where I could cool off whenever the house got too hot.”

Tom remembered those times too. Dad could have reacted in anger and frustration to Mom’s moods and the difficulties. But instead, Dad had gone to extraordinary efforts to show his love. He’d nurtured and tended her like a gardener his flowers. As a result of his faithful efforts, his marriage now flourished so beautifully.

Even if Tom’s marriage to Victoria was short-lived, he could still follow Dad’s example, couldn’t he? He could do something for her tonight. To soften her heart. Considering all the changes she’d had in the past two days, she’d done well. And perhaps he had been a little hard on her.

“Where do you keep the bathing tub?” he asked.

Dad grinned. “Do you want the one big enough for two?”

Heat hit Tom square in the face, and he ducked his head. “The regular one will work fine.” His voice came out squeaky, and he quickly cleared his throat.

Dad chuckled.

“It’s in the pantry,” Mom said. “And you go ahead and get some of the lilac soap from my room. She’ll like that.”

“Make sure to offer to scrub her back.” Dad’s voice was light and teasing.

“I always like when your father brushes my hair,” Mom offered.

Tom wanted to plug his ears and start humming. He didn’t need to know any more details about his parents’ love life than he already did. So he hustled away before his parents could say anything else to embarrass him.

He warmed up some water to add to the cold well water so that the temperature was perfect for cooling her, but not cold enough that she wouldn’t enjoy it. He sloshed pails of water up and down the stairs filling the large tub in the hallway so he could surprise her. As he worked, he tried not to think of his parents’ comments about scrubbing Victoria’s back or brushing her hair and what that actually might be like.

He had no claim to such intimacy, even if his parents believed he did. Whatever the case, the bath was for her. He didn’t expect anything in return.

When he finally dumped the last pail, he was sweating rivulets from his exertion. And the heat of the second floor only made him hotter. He caught his breath before listening at the door. She was so quiet he might have thought she’d somehow runaway, except that the octagonal shaped doorknob was in the same upright position he’d left it.

He knocked softly. “Victoria, I’m coming in.” He listened again, and when she didn’t protest, he opened the door a crack and peeked in.

She’d sprawled out on her stomach across the bed, still clad in her corset and skirt. From the gentle rise and fall of her torso, he guessed she was asleep. Even from the doorway, he could make out more of the bright red marks where the whalebones in her corset had rubbed her skin raw. From the way the laces were tangled and knotted, it was clear she’d been attempting to free herself from her corset.

He let himself in and hefted the tub to the middle of the room before closing the door. She would be mad at him again for coming in when she was undressed, but what else could he do? His stomach twisted at the thought of his parents listening to every step and noise they made. This pretend marriage was going to take a lot more acting than he’d anticipated.

With a sigh, he splashed some of the tepid bath water onto his face and then wiped himself dry with his sleeve. He arranged a clean towel and the lilac soap next to the tub, and then stood back and fidgeted with his shirt collar.

He couldn’t leave. His parents would scold him and order him back to the room. But there was no way Victoria would bathe with him present—not that he wanted her to. Far from it. She’d already tried to kill him for barging in while she was in a state of undress. She’d never willingly shed more in front of him.

He searched the room for a place he could get out of her way. But then an idea began to formulate. Maybe he didn’t have to leave the room or hide after all.

For several minutes he worked at his plan, trying to be as quiet as possible. When he had everything ready, he stood back with satisfaction.

He glanced again at Victoria still asleep and frowned at the corset and the way that it was pinching her flesh. With only a moment’s more hesitation, he crossed to the bed. She was lying on her stomach, with half of her face against the bed and the other half exposed. Her long lashes rested against splotchy cheeks, still damp with tears. Her hair had come completely loose and fell in tangled waves over her back.

She was beautiful, even when she was wilted and hot and asleep.

Should he leave and come back later? Or should he wake her and let her know about the bath. He lowered himself to the edge of the bed next to her.

She didn’t move.

He lifted a hand above her hair and again hesitated. He needed to be careful. There were boundaries he couldn’t—wouldn’t—cross. But at this moment, with the evidence of her tears and heartache still so fresh, he let his fingers dip into her hair, into the golden silk. The softness was exquisite against his fingertips, and he combed into her hair deeper, sweeping it off her back, away from her over-heated skin.

At his movement, she stirred.

He combed another wave off her back, and this time his fingers grazed against her smooth flesh, which was a mistake. Once his senses registered the satiny texture of her skin, he had to run his fingers over it again, the spot between her shoulder blades.

She sucked in a quick breath, and her eyes flew open. He expected her to sit up, push him away, and tell him to get out. But instead, she lay motionless, not breathing at all, as though waiting. Waiting for him to touch her again?

He moved his fingers higher toward the base of her neck and then very slowly and softly swept aside more hair, letting his fingers linger against her neck.

Her eyes closed, and she began to breathe again, her chest rising and falling with a rapid succession that sent a strange ripple into his gut. With her hair combed away, he didn’t stop himself from looking at her delicate shoulder blades and backbone so perfect.

Stop looking, an inner voice warned. And definitely don’t touch her, it yelled louder. But in the process of lifting his hand, he let his fingers trail against one of her shoulders. At his touch, she released a soft kitten-like noise, which melted his insides faster than honey in the hot sun. Suddenly, all he could think about was flipping her over and kissing her.

He moved his hand to her waist, telling himself that he wouldn’t kiss her, that he was only going to help her sit up for her bath. But as he began to roll her, she cried out, this time in pain. At the sight of the corset digging into her tender flesh, he bit back a frustrated oath and gently released her onto her stomach.

“Why haven’t you taken off your corset?” he asked, trying to keep his voice gentle.

She laughed almost bitterly. “Because I’m useless. I can’t do anything for myself.”

He studied the strings and understanding dawned. “You’re not useless.” He extricated the small knife he kept hidden against his calf beneath his sock. “The strings are just knotted too tightly.”

“In all my efforts to untie them, I think I only made it worse.”

He lifted his knife, and she gasped and started to squirm. “Hold still, Victoria. I won’t hurt you.”

She stopped moving. Once again she held her breath.

He carefully wedged the blade into the crossed strings at the bottom. She had to be very uncomfortable and in pain to obey him so readily, especially knowing that he was about to rip open her corset and expose her even more.

Slowly, he worked the sharp knife up through the laces until the last one at the top snapped. The corset fell away, revealing red, irritated skin and three places where her flesh had been rubbed raw.

She remained motionless except that she started to breathe again. “Thank you,” she said, her face buried against the covers.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize your predicament sooner.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Maybe not. But he was still angry with himself that she’d suffered. Before he thought to stop himself, he touched a red spot on her back.

She stiffened, and he immediately pulled away and reached for a discarded sheet at the end of the bed. “Here.” He covered her back before he did something really foolish.

She grasped the edges of the sheet and tucked it around her front, shielding herself before sitting up and tossing the corset aside. She folded her knees under her and secured the sheet modestly around her body. Her hair spilled down her shoulders, and she looked at him with her clear guileless eyes.

He found himself sinking into her, needing her, wanting to do anything to make her happy. Was this some kind of spell she was capable of casting? Was that why she had so many men vying for her and falling in love with her? He’d always thought Nathaniel was a weak man for giving Victoria everything she wanted. But maybe he’d experienced this same need too.

Tom rose from the bed before he lost complete control of himself. “I prepared a bath for you.”

“You did?” Her voice filled with surprise, as if she hadn’t expected his help with anything.

He walked over to the makeshift tent he’d formed, and he pulled back the blanket to reveal the tub.

She gave a delighted squeal and scrambled off the bed. With an eager smile, she scooped up her discarded clothing and skipped toward the bath. She ducked under the tent and dipped a hand into the water before coming back out. Her smile moved to her eyes, chasing away all of the sorrow he’d seen there only moments ago.

“It’s my apology,” he said.

“Apology for what?” She cocked her head just slightly.

He didn’t know exactly what he’d done to offend her today. Likely quite a bit. So he decided he’d better just take Dad’s approach and humble himself. “Sometimes I’m an insensitive idiot.”

The words were magic. Her smile widened and genuine warmth radiated from her eyes. He had the feeling that if they’d been married, he might have benefitted from the tub built for two. Just the thought made him look away, lest she see something in his eyes that didn’t belong there.

“I know you’d prefer that I leave while you bathe”—he lowered his voice—“but my parents are watching every move we make.”

“They sure are.”

He nodded toward the sofa in front of the window. “I’ll wait there.”

She hesitated.

“I promise I’ll keep my eyes on the window the whole time.”

“Okay.”

He spun away from her, needing to prove to himself that he was as strong as always. As he sauntered toward the window, he could feel her watching him. He tried to appear nonchalant, even though every nerve in his body was attuned to her.

When he finally plopped down and rested his head on one end of the sofa and crossed his feet on the other, he could hear her move into the tent. It took only a minute before the soft splash of water told him she was lowering first one foot and then the other into the tub. He closed his eyes to block out the image of her submerging in the water. But at her low moan of pleasure, sparks shot through his veins, heating his blood.

With each splash of water and her soft sounds of contentment, his muscles coiled tighter until he wasn’t sure he could bear another minute. Finally, when she stood in the tub, he gritted his teeth and jumped up from the sofa. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared unseeingly out the open window. He was hot and uncomfortable and desperately needed to escape from her presence. He’d never endured such torture in his life and prayed he’d never have to again.

“Do you want to take a bath now?” she asked, and from the exertion in her tone, he guessed she was rubbing herself dry with the towel he’d laid out for her.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was burning.

“It really cooled me off,” she said.

“I’ll be okay,” he managed. Heaven help him. The only way he would cool off was by diving head first into high tide.

She was silent for a moment before resuming her dressing, this time minus the blasted corset, which she’d left in a discarded heap on the bed. When she finished, he heard her lift the blanket and step out of the tent. He tried to compose himself, tried to put on his most stoic expression, tried to hide the strange way she was making him feel.

Her footsteps crossed the room and stopped behind him. He knew he should turn and smile and pretend that everything was normal. But he needed another minute before he could face her.

She waited a few seconds before tentatively touching his arm. “Tom?” The uncertainty in her voice told him that she was confused by his aloofness. If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up hurting her feelings again, and he didn’t want to do that simply because he was a weak man who couldn’t contain his desire for her.

He gave himself a mental shake and decided he’d have to act around her too now. He’d have to pretend that he wasn’t attracted to her, that nothing was different than before. He took a deep breath and turned.

Her hair hung in wet strands, and her bodice stuck to her skin where she’d neglected to completely dry herself. But she was still utterly breathtaking, especially when she offered him a smile. “You should take a dip.”

“I’m fine.” He tried to smile and prayed it didn’t come out a grimace.

She studied his face for a moment before her gaze shifted to his chest. Her lashes fell shyly against her flushed cheeks.

Had she seen the desire in his expression? It was likely written all over his face. He shifted, intending to put more distance between them, but before he could move, she leaned into him and slipped her arms around his waist. Then she buried her face into his chest and hugged him.