“And I can tell that you are itching to be the first out in one of them, Julia,” Uncle Henry said with a chuckle. “Youhad better go and secure two places, Malcolm.”
Malcolm got to his feet and strode away.
“You are looking as pretty as a picture today, Julia,” Uncle Henry said.
“And very bright and happy,” Aunt Roberta said with a kindly smile. “Almost as if you were in love.”
Julia twirled her parasol and smiled.
“I shall thoroughly approve, Jule,” Stella said, “if it is with the right man. Mama and Papa are taking me toBrighton for a few weeks when we leave here. Is that notwonderful?”
“And you too, Julia, if you decide at the end of the month that you wish to make your home with us,” UncleHenry said. “It would be an arrangement that would suit allof us.”
“Thank you,” she said, blinking her eyes against the tears that wanted to rush there. “I have not made any decisionsyet.”
“Of course not, dear,” Aunt Roberta said. “You still have almost three weeks to decide. There is no hurry at all. Youmust take your time and enjoy the choices that are yours.”
“Thank you,” Julia said again. But looking at them, knowing very well what they were thinking and hoping, shefelt a wave of panic. She could not marry Malcolm. Ofcourse she could not. Not in a million years. She wouldnever be able to love him and, worse, she would never beable to make him happy. Malcolm, she thought, deserved tobe happy.
Each of the boats held four passengers with comfort. Malcolm had secured two places in a boat with Frederickand Camilla. The earl was handing his sister into the boatas Malcolm brought Julia up while Frederick held the boatsteady against the bank. Daniel obviously did not realizethat she was to be the other lady passenger, Julia thought insome dismay as he turned quickly and extended a hand before he looked fully at her.
Meeting his eyes was one of the most painful things that had happened during the day. It was almost like a physicaljolt, as if someone had placed strong hands against hershoulders and shoved her backward. She could not possiblyset her hand in his, she thought, looking down at it and remembering—of all things—that it had fondled her breastand pinched her nipple to tautness just a few hours before.She half expected him to snatch his hand away and save herfrom her dilemma, but he did not do so.
“I suppose you do not need help,” he said at her hesitation, his eyes narrowing. “Foolish of me to think that you might, Julia.”
She slapped her hand down onto his and waited for sizzles to burn up her arm and into the rest of her body. But it was just a warm and strong hand closing about hers, dwarfing it. A hand that would hurt like the very devil if he evermade good on his threat to take her beneath his arm andwallop her. She looked defiantly into his eyes. He lookedsteadily back.
She scrambled into the boat with undignified haste, swaying it dangerously so that she shrieked and Daniel hadto clasp her upper arm with his free hand to save her frompitching headfirst into the water. The spectacle she wouldhave created in doing so did not bear contemplating. As itwas all eyes had turned her way. She glared up at him, mortified by her clumsiness, as she seated herself besideCamilla. And good heavens, the hand that was only now relinquishing hers was also the same one as had touched herin a place where she was almost too embarrassed to touchherself. On top of her clothing, it was true, but still and all.Good heavens.
“Thank you,” she said tartly.
“My pleasure, Julia,” he said, straightening up.
It was a great relief to have something to laugh over during the next few minutes. Frederick and Malcolm sat side by side and took an oar each. But try as they would, and nomatter how much Malcolm frowned in concentration andFrederick whooped with mirth, they could not row inrhythm together or get the boat to go where they wanted itto go. Finally Frederick took the oars on the understandingthat he would do the work until they reached the other sideand Malcolm would row back.
But they got to the other side too quickly, long before Julia had recovered from the renewed agitation that hadtaken her a few hours to recover from just that morning.She did not want to go back so soon. She did not want tohave him rushing to help Camilla out of the boat and feeling obliged to lend her a hand too. If she had to be thatclose to him again today, if she had to touch him again, shewould explode. She would treat the whole family to the delightful spectacle of Julia having the hysterics and eitherhurling foul imprecations and fists at all and sundry or elsesobbing beyond control and soaking every handkerchiefthat would be thrust at her. Neither prospect was in anyway appealing.
“It is far too soon to go back yet,” she said gaily when Malcolm offered to take over the oars.
“What do you suggest, Jule?” Frederick asked, smiling lazily at her. “Rowing in circles for the next hour?”
“I wish we could,” Camilla said with a sigh. “It is lovely out here. And so very peaceful. But there are others waitingfor the boat.”
“I don’t want to go back yet,” Julia said. “There are too many people.”
“What?” Frederick chuckled. “Too many people for Jule? I thought you thrived on having an audience.”
“Well, there you are wrong, Freddie,” she said. “I like being solitary especially when nature is so beautiful.” Shehad a sudden idea. “Set me down on the bank here and Ishall walk back.”
“It is too far, Julia,” Camilla said “It must be all of two miles around the bank to the boathouse.”
“Pooh,” Julia said. “That is not far. The walk will help me work up an appetite for my tea.”
Frederick laughed. “The aunts and Dan will have a collective fit if you are let off to wander alone, Jule,” he said. “If you want to be eccentric enough to walk when there is aboat to recline in and look pretty in, then I shall play gentleman and come with you. It is Malcolm’s turn to row anyway.”
“I would not dream of inconveniencing you, Freddie,” Julia said.
“It is no inconvenience at all, Jule,” Frederick said, rowing the boat against the bank, scrambling out, and holding it steady against the side with one hand while extending theother to her. “In fact the more I think of the idea, the moremerits it has.” He grinned.
