[CW: child marriage; references to domestic violence; high likelihood of one or more persons getting punched]
 
When he had seen Nathan and Tristan safely hauled to shore and the other drowning parties had been recovered, Tobias finally directed his attention back to his personal problems: his intractable wife. The fact that they had won meant little to him right now. He felt humiliated by the whole affair, and angry that Alice had been making plans behind his back, and angrier that she had ignored his instructions once he had found out.
 
He got off the boat, took a few steps, turned to face Alice’s boat, and crossed his arms. Then he waited for her to get off the boat.

Christine was completely aware of the trouble that awaited at the end of the race. Several had called to one of her crew, so she stood at the side. She'd let the others go but made it clear if anyone was nervous to leave, they could stay on board for a bit. It was her boat, and she had money, so she wasn't afraid of anything. Even big talking men.

She noticed one of those who'd called to her crew was watching. She put on a confident smile and waved her fingers a little. "Hello there, are you expecting something? Because I'm not going to let someone like you come attacking someone who helped me get third place. I'm very happy with my crew and we are going to have a party later." She already thought about buying some nice food and maybe letting them pick something out in the market as a prize even though they didn't get first place. They deserved an award.

Tristan was soaking wet and was still catching his breath after his little adventure. At least he was on land now. At least it was a hot day. Didn't mean he'd do this again any time soon.

He was about to excuse himself to his team mates when he saw Tobias step back on land and saw the look on his face. When Tobias turned, he realized why.

Right... There was still that bit of drama to come.

He would have gladly excused himself. The few times he had seen Tobias and Alice together, he had been deeply uncomfortable, hard as he had tried to ignore it. But he didn't like the look on Tobias face and it was becoming harder not to see what he had tried hard not to see. He approached and waited, just in case. Behind Tobias' back, he shook his head at the woman, trying to tell her to stay out of it. It was a domestic matter. It wasn't anyone else's business. And yet here he was.

For the duration of the race, Alice had felt like she was on top of the world. Her life had belonged to her. She had felt strong and capable of things. She had felt like she had friends. She had felt like a normal girl again. But now it was over. Now she had to face her husband and there was no way to avoid it. Her eyes darted to his form on the shore and away. God, he looked grim.

She knew she couldn't stay on board forever, but she took Miss Pennyfeather's invitation and lingered.

Here was that lady who had seemed to mock him and make light of the situation before. "I wasn't planning to attack anyone, Miss. But me wife and I are goin' 'ome. Ye'll 'ave to celebrate without 'er. Alice!" he called out when he noticed his wife had seen him but looked away like she hadn't. "Come 'ere!"

Christine nodded back to Tristan, whether she knew what he was thinking or not. Her attention was turned to Tobias and she folded her arms. "You're wife? How do I know that? You could just be trying to take a woman, she certainly doesn't look like she wants to go with you. Not that I blame her. You aren't even congratulating her on a job well done. You probably hurt the poor girl, look how scared she is." She placed an arm around Alice's shoulders. Was it too much? Maybe. "If you are a husband, you should be ashamed of yourself.'

Lory, too, had stayed behind despite her better senses: Alice needed her, and wasn’t ready to step off yet. She couldn’t find the words to say, ‘let’s outrun them’. She flinched at Miss Pennyfeather’s boldness, but she knew what she was doing … right?

There were a lot of ‘thems’, after all: Alice’s husband, their large and very irate family, that woman who almost made her husband’s money worth it--

The bastard called her sister, and Lory immediately looped an arm protectively about her.

Alice was glad for the invitation to stay on the boat, but she wasn't sure how she felt about Miss Pennyfeather challenging her husband, or her drawing attention to Alice looking scared. She didn't want to look scared. She didn't want people to think she was a victim or that her life was that miserable. She didn't want them to think it was worse than it was.

And yet as Miss Pennyfeather and then Lory put an arm around her, she suddenly had to fight back tears and she felt like a child - with a childish urge to cling onto one of them for protection and comfort. Some part of her was scared, and had been so afraid all these months. She just wished they wouldn't appeal to it.

She shrunk. "Please..." she whispered to Miss Pennyfeather. But she wasn't certain what it was she wanted to ask, and she found it hard to speak at all. She was too dizzy to think.

He did not like this one bit. The women flocking around Alice to protect her only made it all so much more visible. He had met Alice before, had examined her, had felt sorry for her, but he had also seen how hard of a time she was giving Tobias, and he had hoped that after the pregnancy and birth, she would slowly get better and the marriage would get... well - Tobias was fooling himself -, would become bearable at least. But this time he could not read Alice's body language as that of an irritated wife. He only saw a frightened child.

He stepped closer to Tobias. "You don't want to play this part, Tobias. Look at her. Come for a drink, and let her go with her friends, and talk it out when you're calmer."

"I never hurt her!" he called back at the preposterous claim. Bloody right he didn't want to play this part! He also didn't want his wife to run wild, and he knew from experience that she could not be trusted. But both the ladies and Tristan called his attention to Alice's state. She did look frightened. Well, then why had she done it in the first place!? He didn't want to be the mean husband. But it would be real nice if she behaved like a wife and mother!

"Fine! Then go with your family, Alice! Not with them!" He had begun to dislike Ben as well, but at least he wouldn't corrupt her, and he'd know where she was.