Pressing her fingers to her mouth again, Elspeth suppressed another giggle. Apparently, Mrs. Dove-Lyon knew how to rig a game without appearing to rig a game. And Elspeth would never dare accuse the woman of such a thing.
“And the third task?”
“If they make it that far, they will be asked to balance on a small box with one foot lifted. Whoever lasts the longest wins the competition.”
“Do you think they will last very long?”
“In my experience, very few men make it to the third task. Most men do not possess either the determination or the intelligence to succeed.”
“That seems to be a rather dim view of men.”
“And you are unmarried because . . .”
“My father would tell you it is because I read too many newspapers. And books. And that I like to dig in the dirt.”
“You realize he is most likely correct.”
“Yes. Which has brought us here.”
Mrs. Dove-Lyon nodded. “I will send the notices to Mr. Livingstone and Lord Timothy. Tomorrow morning, meet us at the Cake House near the Serpentine. Further instructions will follow.”
Elspeth stood, as did Sinclair. Unbidden, Helena appeared at the door and escorted them upstairs and out the ladies’ entrance, where ahansom cab waited, having been summoned by one of the Lyon’s Den staff.
As they settled in, Sinclair spoke evenly. “I think that went as expected. But I do have one question.”
“Which is?”
“When are you going to tell your father?”
Chapter Seven
Monday, 17 April 1820
The Cake House, near the Serpentine, Hyde Park, London
Half-past ten in the morning
Timothy stood onthe bank of the Serpentine, near the Cake House, and stared into the dark water.
“That looks cold.” Behind him, Luke stood, with two towels draped over one arm.
“It is April. It will not be warm.” The very thought of how the stinging sensation of dropping into cold water made Timothy shudder, even though his great coat kept him moderately warm at the moment. Underneath the coat, he wore only his woolen britches and shirt, which was tucked into them. For many men, ocean swimming happened in the nude, less so with a lake or river. Since this was a highly public event—to the point of humiliation—Mrs. Dove-Lyon had allowed for some discretion. Timothy, looking at the water, felt grateful he had worn wool this morning.
Luke shifted the towels, mumbling, “I should have brought a footman. That great coat is a monster.”
Timothy continued to watch the water lapping at the bank. “Just put all of them on the ground. The dew has dried, and they will be amess when this is over anyway.”
Luke paused, looking around at the gathering crowd. From the moment the contest had been announced, cheers and jeers had followed the brothers—along with Livingstone and a friend—as they headed out, first in Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s carriage and now as the men waited on the bank. In the carriage, the four men had remained silent, each looking everywhere and anywhere but at each other. Now they all stared at the Serpentine, wondering how cold the water was.
Not far from where they waited, the Cake House—a large, white, multi-gabled timber-and-plaster house—loomed over them, a steady stream of customers flowing in and out of its doors, consuming the cheesecakes and other goods sold inside. This added to the raucous atmosphere.
Mrs. Dove-Lyon certainly knows how to entertain a crowd.
Timothy glanced at Livingstone, whose pale face and shuddering shoulders made him appear to be a man about to enter hell. He fought the urge to encourage the man, in the same way Gordon had encouraged him through the years, but reminded himself that he had threatened to kill Livingstone less than twenty-four hours ago.
A soft splashing sound drew Timothy’s attention as a rowboat eased closer to the bank. On the middle seat, his hands on the oars, sat Titan, who greeted both men with one booming voice.
“Gentlemen! You will board the boat, and I will row you to a deeper section of the river where you will enter the water. You will tread as long as you can but no longer than an hour. If you both complete the hour, you will both be returned to shore. If either of you wishes to stop before that time, lift your arm and I will extend an oar to you and pull you back into the boat. Do not risk your lives. If you develop a cramp, become too cold, or have any other reason to discontinue, signal me.
