Page 67 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke

He nodded.

“'Tis not sweet but it will keep you warm enough."

She frowned and nodded and he turned to pour her a finger of the drink. When he handed it to her, she took a whiff of it and shook her head.

"You must drink it. All of it, or you will catch your death."

She downed the cup in one long swallow, her face wrinkling with disgust.

He poured himself a larger volume and downed it, turning to her with a smile.

"I do not understand why you men drink this," she complained, retching. "It is positively acrid."

"It is, but it is enjoyable," he told her.

"Shall we?" she told him. "It is getting late and I do not want to spend the hours we have left arguing about your preferences in drink."

He laughed and pulled out the robes he had prepared in advance for them.

"Here," he said handing her the smaller of the two. "I know you would rather not cavort across my estate naked."

She accepted it and pulled it about her.

He pulled his on and led the way to the small lake behind his property. He hadn't gone swimming in it in a while but when the cool evening breeze touched him, he couldn't remember why he had stopped what used to be a habit for him.

He went in first and dove deeper.

"Come in here, Cecilia," he told her. "The water is marvelous this evening."

"Christ!" she screamed. "It is cold."

She had only just dipped her toes in and was already screaming.

"You were the one that wanted to do this, so this is what you deserve."

She screamed with each step she took into the water.

He was thankful his estate was well out of anyone's way or they would no doubt suspect he was murdering someone. After a while of squirming, she began to smile, playing in the water.

"I don't know whether it is the alcohol in my blood or the moon light but I feel very light," she giggled, floating on the water surface. "And you were right to give me whisky. My belly is warm."

He smiled, watching her float atop the water surface with almost childlike glee.

"It is good to listen to me then?" he asked with a knowing smile.

She spared him a look before swimming away.

"Sometimes."

He smiled at her and swam about as well.

"I didn't know you could swim. Who taught you?"

"A maid taught me," she answered. "I grew up in our country estate and since Magnus was usually not in residence, I used to steal away to the lake to play by myself. After I fell in once, she taught me so that I wouldn't drown if I fell in again."

"That was brilliant of her," he commented.

"I agree," she answered, giggling. "I refused to come out of the water after that. At least not willingly."