The words left her mouth in a rush, and the table fell silent for a moment. Richard looked momentarily surprised but recovered quickly.
"Of course," he said, ever the gentleman. "The more, the merrier."
Isadora and Violet, seated nearby, exchanged a look that was half-amusement, half-confusion. They had certainly not expected to be part of this particular excursion. "We would be delighted," Isadora said after she recovered from her surprise.
"Ah, yes. A boat ride," Violet nodded. "It sounds quite romantic."
Daphne managed a tight smile. Romantic was the last thing she felt. If anything, she was bracing herself for an afternoon of awkwardness.
Not long after, the three of them made their way down to the Estate lake. Daphne felt a strong emotion overcome her as her eyes landed on the body of water.
The last time she had been near one, she had nearly drowned. It had been the start to all of this. For a moment, she considered what it would have been like if it wasn't Richard who came to her aid that day.
What if instead... it had been Ambrose. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she found herself blushing inadvertently.
"Ready to go, My Lady?" Richard asked.
In front of them, two rowboats were waiting at the dock, gently bobbing with the movement of the lake. Daphne's stomach churned at the sight of them.
She pushed away the unpleasant feeling brewing inside of her, and nodded with a practiced smile.
"Yes, of course, My Lord."
Richard held out his hand in order to help her into one of the boats. Awkwardly, she took it but stiffened at his touch.
It felt radically different compared to when Ambrose had grabbed hold of her hand. While that had sent a jolt of electricity down her, this only added to her growing discomfort.
So it was no surprise that as soon as she safely made it into the rowboat, she slipped her hand away.
Isadora and Violet followed behind, climbing into the second boat with cheerful giggles.
Richard took the oars and began rowing. It was a pleasant day out, and the wind began to caress them gently as they began to move.
"Did you know," Richard said, "that my family has owned these lands for generations? In fact, my great-great-grandfather was the one who expanded the estate to include the lake. Quite the visionary."
Daphne nodded, pretending to show interest. But in actuality, she was staring at the shore, which grew more distant as they moved through the water.
"That is quite impressive, My Lord," she feigned a smile.
"The estate wouldn't be what it is today without the work of my father and his father before him. It's quite the legacy," Richard continued.
Daphne nodded absentmindedly. She tried to listen, to engage, but his words felt distant, like they were coming from someone miles away.
She caught Isadora's eye again from across the water. Her friend was beaming, clearly entertained by the whole affair. Daphne already knew what she must be thinking—that Richard was purposely narrating these stories in a bid to impress her. He had seemed to do something similar at the breakfast table.
At least I have Violet and Isadora here with me,she thought with great relief. He would not think to propose in their company.
In her distraction, she missed most of what Richard was saying. His voice continued on in the background, but it was only when he laughed lightly at his own joke that Daphne realized she had completely tuned him out.
She blinked, "Oh, yes... quite fascinating," she mumbled.
Richard continued on, oblivious as usual. But her friends exchanged a look amongst them. Like they had caught onto Daphne's little bluff. She felt a rush of guilt. Was it that obvious?
Before she could dwell on it, Uncle Sebastian's familiar booming voice rang out from the shore. "Ah, there they are!" He was striding down toward the dock. He waved at the boats. "Now, now, going on a boat ride? All four of you? Are we planning a wedding or catching fish?"
Everyone laughed, including Richard, who set the oars aside for a moment to wave at his uncle. "A bit of both, perhaps!" he called back.
Their ride finally came to an end. Daphne's relief was palpable.
