“The twins are racing on the River Cam!” Will cried. “Some other students dared them to do it, and those two clodheads agreed.”
My eyes rounded. “Swimming?”
“Rowing,” Will said.
I blinked—though it was unseasonably warm for late spring, the river would be ice-cold. Not that they would be going into the water, but boats could capsize.
Good heavens, what were Klaus and Kristof thinking?
I felt a grin split my face anyway—I always used to be so envious of the antics Ansel got up to with his set, and though I’d heard rumors of Zia running wild with a few of her schoolmates, leading a group called the Lady Knights, who raced on Rotten Row at midnight and fenced in underground gaming clubs, I didn’t have daring friends like that.
I didn’t truly have many friends atall,only acquaintances.
Andthosewere all proper, demure ladies of theton,and the most daring thing they did was try a new brand of tea. Well, I supposed Ela and Zia were different, but they’d come into my life much more recently, when I’d already been hammered and polished into a dutiful young lady. The only thing I’d ever rebelled over was marriage to someone I could not abide.
And now this—impersonating Ansel because I cravedonegrand adventure before resigning myself to my inevitable future.
Grinning at my—Roz’s—friends, I scrambled up, gathering my things, and raced upstairs to dump them in my quarters before joining the others as we headed toward the Backs. It was a scenic garden area on the western side of the college thatbordered the river, though I hadn’t had much time to explore it. A crowd was gathered when we arrived, and many wagers were already changing hands.
“Roz!” Klaus said, seeing me. “Fancy rowing with us? We’re in need of a fourth.”
My jaw slackened as I glanced from him over to the wooden four-rower gig boat to the murky churning waters of the River Cam. Kristof shot me a maniacal grin, and poor Harold, who presumably was their third, had a nauseated look on his face.
Could I?ShouldI?
The water was likely freezing and contaminated with all kinds of vermin and filth, much like the Thames in London, but my blood pounded through my veins in exhilaration at the prospect of doing something so unbelievably bold. Sothrilling!
When would I have a chance like this again? When wouldLady Rosalinbe able to do something so dreadfully unconventional and audacious? The answer was never. Roz, however, was more than up for the challenge. I’d never rowed in a race before, other than on the Serpentine during leisurely summer garden parties, but how hard could it be?
I shucked off the top later of my academic gown and handed it to a gaping Will before making my way down the bank. “Sure do!”
“You are the man!” Kristof crowed.
A hysterical laugh bubbled up my throat—yes, I was.
Chapter Six
The philosophers say that Nature does nothing in vain, and more is in vain when less will serve; for Nature is pleased with simplicity.
—Isaac Newton
“I can’t believe we did it!” Harold screamed.
Knees buckling, I flung myself to the grassy bank, chest heaving and lungs about to burst beneath my ribs. “By a deuced hair,” I panted, smiling so hard that my frozen cheeks ached.
I could barely feel my toes in my boots, but I had never felt so gloriously alive in my whole life! My arms trembled like jelly, as though they were on the brink of falling off. It had taken some coordination to get my oar into a working rhythm with the other three, which had put us behind at the start, but we had caught up to the other boat by a nose at the end. That was mostly thanks to the brute strength of the twins. Harold was even thinner than I was—neither of us was the muscle in that foursome, and he doubled as the coxswain, calling out the action. But as a team, the four of us had done the impossible.
We hadwon!
Klaus hollered, happily collecting the money he had bet on ustaking the race before the small throng dissipated and students skipped out on their bets. “Still counts as winning whether it’s by a nose or a head or more. We are rich, and we are celebrating tonight!”
“Capital,” Kristof agreed, slapping his brother on the back, then loosening his cravat. “We’re all going, no excuses,” he added with a meaningful look at me.
“I’m in,” I said, knowing if I made another refusal, I might not get an additional invitation, and as much as I was afraid to break the rules or get into trouble, I didn’t want to miss out on a potentially unforgettable experience. I’d never been to a gaming hell before. The most exciting place I’d ever visited was Vauxhall, which had given me the chance to mingle with people from all walks of life and all stations. And even then, I’d been heavily chaperoned.
I loosened my own cravat and unbuttoned my coat. The cool air was a welcome reprieve on my overheated skin.
“Good idea, Roz,” Harold said as he did the same. “I’m bloody boiling.”
