Page 27 of A Scandal In July
He released her abruptly, as if suddenly realizing the informality of what he’d done and sent a dismayed glance at the front of her dress. Lenore looked down to see what he was looking at, and found the fabric covered in streaks of black dirt, dust, cobwebs and green grass stains.
She brushed at the stains, but it was a futile effort.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” Rhys promised. “Since the window was my idea. That one’s ruined.”
Lenore rolled her eyes. “You’ll do no such thing. What would people think, if word got out that you’d bought me a dress?”
“Nobody would have to know.”
“Men only buy dresses for women they’re intimately acquainted with.”
“I just had my hands on your arse, Montgomery,” Rhys said with a wicked grin. “I’d call that intimate acquaintance, wouldn’t you?”
Lenore turned away to hide her blush. “I can buy my own dresses, thank you very much. I don’t need your Davies charity.” She pointed across the lake. “Look! Morgan and Harriet are already halfway to the island already.”
“Then let’s get after them. I have a bone to pick with that brother of mine.”
Chapter Thirteen
Despite their slow start, and Morgan’s undoubted familiarity with a pair of oars, Lenore and Rhys made excellent progress across the lake and managed to close the distance between the two boats quite considerably.
Since Rhys was facing backward to row, Lenore kept him updated on their progress as the muscles in his forearms rippled in time with his powerful strokes.
He’d removed his jacket and thrown it on the wooden plank that served as a seat, and Lenore couldn’t help but be impressed by the smooth motion of his body as he reached forward and pulled back. The oars cut into the water, and they sped across the lake, pushing through the lily pads that clustered in the shallows.
“We’re gaining on them!”
“Not quickly enough,” Rhys panted.
“What’s on the island, anyway? Is it just trees?”
“No. There’s a little stone temple thing in the middle. You can see the columns through the trees if you look closely. I bet the flag is in hidden in there.”
A flash of color at the opposite end of the lake caught Lenore’s eye, and she gave a disbelieving gasp as she identified who it was.
“Gryff and Carys are over there, on the far side.”
“No boats over there,” Rhys chuckled.
Lenore’s eyes widened. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Your brother’s stripping off his clothes. I think he means to swim!”
Rhys turned around his seat to look, then let out a growl of disbelief as he, too, saw Gryff tug off his books, then discard his jacket, cravat, and shirt. Carys, his willing co-conspirator, grinned as he handed her the clothes.
Lenore raised her brows. “I say, your brother keeps himself very fit, doesn’t he?” She glanced at Rhys and was delighted to see an aggrieved frown flash across his handsome face.
“You shouldn’t be looking at his physique,” he scolded. “Avert your eyes!”
Lenore snorted. “I’ve seen hundreds of shirtless men, Rhys Davies. Sailors, porters, fellow shipwreck survivors. I don’t think I’m in any danger of swooning just because your brother happens to show some chest.”
Rhys gave the oars a particularly hard pull.
There was an audible splash as Gryff dove into the water, and a shout from the boat up ahead as Harriet and Morgan obviously realized they had competition.
The island they were all heading for was large and tree-covered and situated far closer to Gryff’s end of the lake than the boat shed. There was a definite possibility that he would reach it first.
“Row faster!” Lenore ordered Rhys with a laugh.
There was an audible crunch as Harriet and Morgan’s boat reached the shore on the island. Morgan leaped out.