“I said left! You went right, you fool!” Mary yelled at Zach, who had run into a tree.
“Perhaps if you spoke more clearly!” he bellowed back, rubbing his forehead.
Beth hurried by, tugging Nathan.
“There is an obstacle in the path up ahead,” Beth said. “A barrel. No, three actually. We will need to climb over them, apparently. No, wait. You have to.”
“Oh goody,” he muttered. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Having a woman in control of your destiny? Welcome to the world of many wearing skirts,” Beth said.
“You have women controlling your destiny?” Nathan asked.
“You know I meant men controlling women’s destinies. Now be quiet and concentrate. The barrel is but a step away. We are behind Lord and Lady Braithwaite.”
“Hurry it up, Braithwaite,” Nathan needled the man ahead.
“Harder than it looks, Deville,” the usually elegant and contained peer panted. His wife was giggling as his foot caught and he stumbled several steps.
“For a man carrying both Raven and Sinclair blood, you are remarkably uncoordinated,” someone called from behind them.
“Shut up, Cambridge,” Lord Braithwaite snapped.
“He was terribly nimble-footed as a child. I fear age is catching up with him,” another voice taunted. Beth identified it as Lady Sinclair, Lord Braithwaite’s sister.
“Be quiet, Lilly,” he snapped, managing to get over both barrels with his wife directing him while holding his egg aloft. “We shall see how your large ungainly husband manages shortly.”
“Braithwaite, Lady Yardly could do a better job than you at this point,” Lord Sinclair drawled.
Beth laughed.
“We’ll see how amused you are shortly, when it is my turn,” Nathan said.
“He’s over the last,” Beth said. “The barrels are only a small distance apart,” she told him. Her breath caught as he stepped up onto one with ease, taking her hand with him. His other hand still held the egg and spoon.
“Get down at once; you will fall.” He ignored her.
“Now this should be entertaining,” Lord Sinclair drawled.
“What is the distance between the barrels, Beth?”
“I—ah, I’m unsure.”
“Two hand spans? A large foot… one of mine?”
She looked down at the large leather-clad appendage. How was it he was balanced with such ease? She would have fallen by now.
“A booted foot. One of yours.”
Nathan stepped out, and on to the next, taking her hand with him. Beth hurried to keep up. He then walked onto the next, then down onto the path once more.
“Oh, bravo!” Lady Sinclair clapped her hands, as did several of the other women still awaiting their partners’ turns.
“He always was a show-off,” Lord Raine drawled. “Plus, he’s cheating and holding the egg down with his thumb.”
“Lead on, Beth.”
She did, and they navigated several other obstacles before heading into the trees.
