‘Sit down. Tom, David, sit down or you will have us in the lake.’
The children were screaming, the thought of being plunged into waters that might be full of man-eating fish made them even more desperate to escape. His bare feet were already wet and he could not get a purchase on the slippery surface.
He rammed the pole into the lake bottom and pushed with all his strength, praying he could prevent the boat from capsizing and himself from toppling into the water.
Chapter Nine
Sapphire was becoming increasingly frustrated at being trapped on a chaise longue whilst the sun was shining and her brothers and his lordship were outside enjoying themselves. The sound of their laughter carried quite clearly through the open window.
The window seat was no more than a few yards from where she was – she could hop such a short distance and would be able to elevate her foot just as well from there. She rang the bell and Jenny popped her head around the door.
‘I want to be able to look at what’s going on outside, if you give me your support I can achieve that objective without placing my foot on the ground.’
She had barely got settled when she saw her brothers and their escort crossing the greensward towards the boathouse. She caught her breath. He had bare legs and feet and his shirtsleeves were rolled up exposing his muscular forearms. Tom and David were also without stockings and shoes. Meg was walking a respectful distance behind the three of them, her arms were full of dry clothes and towels. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.
Perhaps if she was very careful she could kneel on the window seat and rest her elbows on the windowsill. She would have a much better view like this. After a great deal of shuffling and wincing she was settled comfortably.
The trio had vanished into the boathouse and it was now impossible to see or hear what they were doing. Meg had found herself a place in the shade of the willow tree and sat down with her bundle. Ten minutes passed by before she spied the prow of the ancient punt emerging.
David and Tom were sitting facing the stern and to her astonishment Lord Ilchester was in the water and pushing the boat. Although the water was only two feet deep at the edge, his breeches would be submerged. Who would have thought it? The more she knew about this gentleman, the more he surprised her. With an athletic spring he landed on the punting platform and picked up the pole.
Her thoughts wandered as she watched this unusual spectacle. He would make an excellent father, she could not imagine another aristocratic gentleman prepared to get himself wet like this. Then everything changed.
Her brothers began to scream and stood up as if wishing to get out. The punt rocked alarmingly and the prow swung outwards making it impossible for the boys to get off. Ilchester shouted at her brothers to sit down, but they ignored him. In desperation he rammed in the pole, swinging the boat towards the bank.
Too late! His feet slid from under him and he disappeared head first into the lake. The impact sent the punt crashing into the bank and the children were hurled face first onto the grass. Her breath hissed through her teeth. What could have been a catastrophe was merely an amusing accident.
Meg was already at the children’s side and they flung themselves into her arms obviously beside themselves with terror. As the nursemaid was comforting them she turned her attention to his lordship and was relieved to see him emerge from the deep.
She was now half hanging out of the window gazing wide-eyed with admiration. The wet, white shirt clung to his shoulders, it was almost transparent, allowing her to see the breadth of his chest beneath the cloth.
‘What is going on? What frightened the boys?’ Her voice carried across the grass and even from so far away he heard her. Only then did she remember his comment about her not yelling at him.
*
Dammit to hell! Gideon
The children were screaming, the thought of being plunged into waters that might be full of man-eating fish made them even more desperate to escape. His bare feet were already wet and he could not get a purchase on the slippery surface.
He rammed the pole into the lake bottom and pushed with all his strength, praying he could prevent the boat from capsizing and himself from toppling into the water.
Chapter Nine
Sapphire was becoming increasingly frustrated at being trapped on a chaise longue whilst the sun was shining and her brothers and his lordship were outside enjoying themselves. The sound of their laughter carried quite clearly through the open window.
The window seat was no more than a few yards from where she was – she could hop such a short distance and would be able to elevate her foot just as well from there. She rang the bell and Jenny popped her head around the door.
‘I want to be able to look at what’s going on outside, if you give me your support I can achieve that objective without placing my foot on the ground.’
She had barely got settled when she saw her brothers and their escort crossing the greensward towards the boathouse. She caught her breath. He had bare legs and feet and his shirtsleeves were rolled up exposing his muscular forearms. Tom and David were also without stockings and shoes. Meg was walking a respectful distance behind the three of them, her arms were full of dry clothes and towels. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.
Perhaps if she was very careful she could kneel on the window seat and rest her elbows on the windowsill. She would have a much better view like this. After a great deal of shuffling and wincing she was settled comfortably.
The trio had vanished into the boathouse and it was now impossible to see or hear what they were doing. Meg had found herself a place in the shade of the willow tree and sat down with her bundle. Ten minutes passed by before she spied the prow of the ancient punt emerging.
David and Tom were sitting facing the stern and to her astonishment Lord Ilchester was in the water and pushing the boat. Although the water was only two feet deep at the edge, his breeches would be submerged. Who would have thought it? The more she knew about this gentleman, the more he surprised her. With an athletic spring he landed on the punting platform and picked up the pole.
Her thoughts wandered as she watched this unusual spectacle. He would make an excellent father, she could not imagine another aristocratic gentleman prepared to get himself wet like this. Then everything changed.
Her brothers began to scream and stood up as if wishing to get out. The punt rocked alarmingly and the prow swung outwards making it impossible for the boys to get off. Ilchester shouted at her brothers to sit down, but they ignored him. In desperation he rammed in the pole, swinging the boat towards the bank.
Too late! His feet slid from under him and he disappeared head first into the lake. The impact sent the punt crashing into the bank and the children were hurled face first onto the grass. Her breath hissed through her teeth. What could have been a catastrophe was merely an amusing accident.
Meg was already at the children’s side and they flung themselves into her arms obviously beside themselves with terror. As the nursemaid was comforting them she turned her attention to his lordship and was relieved to see him emerge from the deep.
She was now half hanging out of the window gazing wide-eyed with admiration. The wet, white shirt clung to his shoulders, it was almost transparent, allowing her to see the breadth of his chest beneath the cloth.
‘What is going on? What frightened the boys?’ Her voice carried across the grass and even from so far away he heard her. Only then did she remember his comment about her not yelling at him.
*
Dammit to hell! Gideon
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