Page 61 of An Enchanting Dare

“Aisling?” His glittering eyes were wide with shock. “W-What… H-How? I thought you were drowning!” he said, the indignation in his voice definitely familiar.

“I was completing my dare,” she retorted, with as much dignity as she could, bearing in mind she was naked.

Screams came from the bank as her friends began wading in, intent on rescuing her.

“Put her down, you brute!”

“Take your hands off her!”

“It’s all right. It’s Sylvester!” Aisling shouted, and then wondered at herself, for she was wrapped around him beneath the water like pond weed and….

“You’re naked,” Sylvester croaked.

“Y-Yes,” Aisling said, breathless with a combination of cold and the scandalous nature of this encounter. “That was the dare. To swim naked by moonlight.”

Sylvester groaned and then darted a look at the bank where the girls were dithering, uncertain if Aisling needed rescuing. “This night is going to be burned into my brain for the rest of my days.”

Beneath the water, his hands slid over her naked back, and Aisling shivered, pressing closer to him.

“Right,” he said briskly. “You’ve swum naked in the moonlight. Now you’d best get out before I get ideas, or you freeze to death.”

“What ideas? And it’s August,” she pointed out through chattering teeth. “Though I admit it’s a bit nippy.”

“We’ve got an audience, and it’s August in England,” he insisted, ignoring her question. “That does not discount the possibility of catching pneumonia. Come on. I hope you’ve thought to bring towels.”

Sylvester hefted her into his arms and carried her out of the lake as her friends ran forward, wrapping her in a sheet to dry as he turned his back. Once they had her properly covered, they stood around her to protect what little remained of her modesty, staring at Sylvester in consternation.

“What are you doing here?” Rosamund asked, looking suspicious.

“I’m staying at The Swan and thought I’d go for a walk. What are you doing here?” he demanded of Aisling. “I thought you were still at Trevick.”

“We’re staying with Evie and her family at Swan Hall,” Aisling said through her shivers. “Will you c-call on us t-tomorrow?”

“Only if you go and get dry at once!” Sylvester said, looking exasperated now. “You’re freezing.”

“I will if you promise!” Aisling said, grinning at him. Her heart felt lighter than she could remember. The sight of him was such a relief after missing him for so long she felt giddy and foolish and for the first time in what felt like forever, her future was full of hope. She was happy. That was this strange sensation bubbling up inside her. She had almost forgotten what it felt like, but she was happy and in love and it was all because of him.

“I promise!” he said urgently.

“And you always keep your promises.”

“I do!” he agreed, half laughing, half desperate that she go and get warm. “Now go before you catch a chill!”

With a shriek, Aisling pushed through her friends and ran towards him, planted a smacking kiss on his lips, and then ran off giggling wildly as the other girls ran after her. Their laughter echoed across the fields, disappearing into the darkness and leaving no one in any doubt as to her mood.

25th August 1841, The lake at Swanborough, East Sussex.

“Oh, Luke!” Kitty pressed her hand to her mouth to smother a sob as she watched her daughter laughing riotously, running away from the lake with her friends. Mr Cootes stood there, dripping wet, a dazed smile at his lips as he watched them go, and she wanted to hug him for everything he’d done. Instead, she flung herself into her husband’s arms. “Did you hear her? I told you so. Did you hear how happy she sounded?”

Luke considered this, his expression unreadable. “Bit of a coincidence that he turned up here. You really think she’s in love with him?”

Kitty nodded, wiping her eyes as happy tears slipped down her cheeks. “I do, and he’s such a good man, Luke. I know he loves her. He never betrayed her confidence, and he’s made her happy. Oh! Aisling is happy again!” She was bouncing on her toes now, halfway between laughter and hysterical crying.

Her husband looked down at her, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “She’s been different these past weeks, so much more at peace with herself, and I’d have given every penny we have to hear her laugh again,” he admitted.

“You just heard it,” Kitty said, staring up at him. “And that young man is responsible, but he won’t offer for her, Luke. I know he won’t. He’s too honourable to ask for her when he can’t support her. Oh, please, darling. We must help them.”

Luke sighed. “Is he a beneficial influence, though? I’m not mad about my daughter skinny dipping in the dead of night,” he grumbled, though his stern tone did not fool Kitty for one moment.