“No,” Eve said. “If you two need to go, like I said before, you can leave.”
“I don’t think so,” Darius said. “It looks like we’ve got a free day to check out more of your ancestral home. You want to go boating?”
* * *
Since the weatherwas relatively mild, Eve wondered if she’d need to bring her jacket as they made their way to the boathouse. The men said they’d found a dinghy the day before that was large enough to hold the three of them.
The building was larger than she’d expected and housed not only the skiff but a motorboat large enough to seat half a dozen people. There were shelves full of fishing paraphernalia and a rack of fishing poles. There were even a couple of kayaks hanging from the wall. She guessed her uncle must have been a fisherman and wondered if he’d gone out with Graham when he was young.
“It has oars.” Joe held one up, looking at Eve with arched brows, his expression hopeful.
“I don’t mind rowing. It’s a great workout.” She pointed to the fishing poles. “I’m not fishing though.”
“Your family here is into hunting too,” Joe said. “There’s quite a rifle collection in one of the parlors.”
“I’m not interested in either hunting or fishing.” Darius shot Joe an apologetic look. “Why don’t we just go for a nice little boat ride?”
“I’m game,” Eve said.
She let the men push the dinghy from the boathouse to the dock. Joe held it steady, while Darius with one foot on the dock and one in the boat held a hand to help her in. She hadn’t been boating in a long time and felt a little rush to be out on the water again. Her parents owned a sailboat that they often used in Boston Harbor.
Eve thought her father’s love of the water must have begun in this place. It made her look at her surroundings differently, wondering if it had changed since he’d lived here.
They took turns rowing, which gave her time to check out the wildlife. Besides a variety of birds, most that she didn’t recognize, she spotted a small herd of deer. She wondered when the hunting season was in Scotland.
The ever-present breeze picked up, and Eve was glad for her coat. A sense of peace settled over her. It really was a beautiful place.
“I think you’re right, Joe. This would be an amazing location either as a recreational resort or a rehab center.” Eve’s thoughts immediately went to her cousin. She wondered if he’d returned, and she hoped if he had, he wasn’t bothering their grandfather.
“You’re not lost, are you?” Darius said, glancing around.
“No,” Joe said. “We go that way.”
Eve was about to take the oar from him so he could act as their guide when two sharp sounds in rapid succession startled them. She barely had time to glance around before water came flooding in from the bottom of the boat.
“What the—” Darius scrambled to put his hands over the round hole near the hull’s rising waterline. The diverted water sprayed into his face but still gushed in.
“You guys row us to the shore,” Eve cried, “and I’ll bail.”
The men didn’t hesitate and put their strong arms to work. She felt useless cupping her hands and throwing water over the side. She couldn’t catch enough to make a difference in the losing battle. The cold water was quickly at her bum on the seat, chilling her to the bone.
“Can you swim, Joe?” Darius asked, his voice grim.
“Yes.” The bodyguard grunted but continued to row, straining to get them closer to the shore.
“We’re going to have to abandon it.” Darius tossed aside his oar and reached for Eve.
She took his hand and together they went over the side. Their heavy clothing made swimming difficult, and the cold water made her motions sluggish. If she’d been alone and not such a strong swimmer, it could have been a close call.
They finally got near enough for the guys to touch bottom. Once on his feet, Darius pulled Eve to him.
“You all right?” Shivering, he brushed a quick kiss against her temple.
“S-s-sure. Great day for a s-swim.”
“I’ll p-push you the rest of the way.”
Eve stretched out her hands like she was going to dive, and he thrust her forward. She clasped the long grass growing on the shore. Her stiff hands didn’t have the strength to pull herself up.
