Chapter 53

The moment the butler appeared at their side, Thomas and Cassandra fell silent. gloved hands at his sides, the butler offered a polite bow, his presence a seamless cue that their time ashore had come to an end. Sliding hands together, Thomas entwined his fingers with Cassandra’s, and the three of them climbed into the waiting golf cart. As it hummed forward over the manicured lawn, a soft breeze carried the tang of salt spray from the distant shore; palms whispered overhead, and the sunset’s burnished glow lingered on the horizon.

They rode in companionable quiet until the cart deposited them at the island’s far side, where the beach unfurled in alabaster arcs of sand. With a nod from Thomas, the butler parked the cart discreetly behind dune grasses, then fell silently into rear guard as the couple stepped onto the firm, cool sand. Each footfall left a shallow print, soon erased by an unseen tide of breeze.

The beach felt ineffably calm. Only a handful of other guests—mo