“Now, Aunt, surely you are better off staying on land in these cold conditions,” Freya said in a sweet tone.
“I wish to go onto the water!” The duchess thumped her cane down.
“Very well, four to a boat. That means you will have to go with Mary, Beth, and Sir Milton,” Freya said, not meeting Mary or Beth’s eyes.
“Thank you,” Beth muttered.
The boats came in, and people got out and back onto land. Dimity, Freya, Ruby, and Zach climbed into one and were soon rowing away.
“Come along, Duchess,” Mary said, holding out a hand, while Sir Milton held out his. Between them they managed to maneuver her in. Once everyone was settled with not too much rocking, Sir Milton began to row.
Mary and Beth flanked the Duchess, with Milton alone at the rear.
“Put your back into it, man.”
“Duchess,” Beth hissed. “He is doing his best.”
“Pull alongside Plunge,” she demanded.
“Please,” Mary added.
They drew near Plunge’s boat. Mary did not catch his eye or she’d laugh again. Monty was one of the best actors she knew.
“Duchess.” Plunge rose, wobbled, and then bowed.
“I have something in my bag for you,” the duchess snapped, wrestling something from the large sack hanging from her wrist.
“You cannot be serious?” Beth whispered. “Can you not wait until we are back on land to hand it to him?”
“Dear lord,” Mary whispered. “Is that the latest copy of Captain Broadbent and Lady Nauticus?”
The old woman cackled in a witchlike manner.
“Plunge, how would you like to go first?”
Mary watched as he clutched his chest. The boat rocked, but he held his balance.
“Truly? I may go first?”
“We are not having a literary saloon on the water!” Zach roared, rowing closer. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You may leave.” The duchess flicked her fingers, dismissing him. “Only those that are true connoisseurs of the Captain Broadbent and Lady Nauticus books understand that when the moment strikes to read a passage, one must take it.”
“We are on the water,” Zach gritted out.
“I think it is a fine idea,” Mary said, because anything Zachariel Deville disagreed with was an exceptional notion as far as she was concerned. “And Lord Plunge has a wonderful voice.”
She could feel eyes boring into the side of her face. Perhaps if she continued to fuel the fires of anger between her and Zach, she would soon feel nothing for the man again.
“I say, are you having a literary saloon on the water?”
As one, all the occupants of the three boats turned to look at the bank where the voice had come from. People were lined up there, watching them.
“Move closer so we may hear and participate!” Lady Levermarch yelled.
“Indeed. I wish to read a passage, as does my husband,” the Duchess of Raven called.
“No, really I don’t,” the duke said.
