"Serves him right for having us read the Bible
every night before dinner," he said.
Daddy did ask about the watch, but he didn't
understand May's answer and asked me. I told him the
truth. He was quiet for a moment.
"I don't like her taking things from strangers,
Laura," he said.
"Mrs. Royce isn't a stranger anymore, Daddy, at
least to me," I added. He didn't look happy, but he let
it go and May kept the watch.
On Thursday, Cary went home with Robert and
helped him stain the rear deck. I didn't go along, but I
was so nervous about the two of them together
without me around that I couldn't do anything but
stare out the window and wait for Cary to come home.
True to his word, he wasn't gone much more than an
hour. I hurried downstairs to greet him at the door. "You finished it already?" I asked as he stepped
up to our porch.
"What's the big deal?" he said with a shrug.
"Painting a hull, now that's a big deal."
"Did Robert think it was as easy as you did?" I
asked. I was really asking if they had gotten along. "He held his own," Cary replied. "I guess I'll
spend a few hours teaching him something about
sailing on Saturday," he added. "If you want to come
along--"
"Oh, Cary," I cried and embraced him. "Thank
you." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
He stood there, frozen for a moment. It was
almost as if my kiss had burned him. We hadn't kissed
each other for some time, both of us self-conscious