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“Back off, Hudson,” Richard warned. “Can’t you see she nearly got struck by that ball?”
“Maybe the other ladies wouldn’t be aiming for her if you weren’t making matters worse,” Harry said venomously, the accusation coming through loud and clear.
“I’m not making anything worse,” Richard argued. “I’m trying to comfort her.”
“You’ve done enough!” Harry shouted, and this time when he yanked on Richard’s shoulder, he pulled so hard, Richard was forced to drop his hand, otherwise, he would risk hurting Leticia.
“What has come over you?” Richard asked as he spun around. He took an angry step toward Harry. “Leticia’s frightened, and I want to be there for her.”
“No,” Harry sneered. “You just want to humiliate her further.” He got right up in Richard’s face then and continued, “But I won’t let you.”
Overcome by the enmity he could see in his friend’s face, Richard stepped even closer to Harry. “What…do…you…intend…to…do?” In between each word, he took another step, and as he did, Harry inched backward.
“I’ll do whatever I have to do until I can make you see that Letty doesn’t need you. She doesn’t want you. She never did.”
“You know nothing,” Richard spat, and with that, he gave Harry a violent shove. He had not realized just how closely they had walked toward the river. But as Harry stumbled backward, he reached for Richard, and Harry’s fingers snagged on Richard’s sleeve. As a duo, the men tumbled into the water.
“W…what are you doing?” Richard spluttered. Harry swam toward him and put both hands atop his head as they used to do when they were children, and they were trying to dunk each other. Now, as Richard fought to make it back to the surface, clawing at Harry’s hands, he wondered if his friend truly meant to drown him.
“Harry,” he shouted as soon as his head broke the surface. “Leave me alone.”
“No!” Harry returned petulantly and pushed down on Richard’s shoulders, causing him to sink once more. Richard had never seen this side of Harry, and it worried him immensely, but he didn’t have time to think about that as his breath caught in his lungs, and he struggled against the pressure of Harry’s strong hands.
This time, when Richard came up for air, he heard his mother shouting, “Do be careful, Boys.”
Her words were followed by Lady Pearl’s shrill cry, “Please, try not to hurt each other.”
“Oh,” Lord Pearl soothed, “they’re just having a bit of fun. A little water never hurt anyone, right, Your Grace?”
Do they think we’re playacting?
When Harry shoved him under for the fourth time, Richard opened his eyes so he could better see. He spied Harry’s legs and gave up trying to fight against him on the surface but instead lunged for his kneecaps. He heard Harry let out a tremendous groan, and Richard felt satisfied having tackled him. There was a large splash as Harry sunk into the water, and Richard took this advantage to come up for a breath of fresh air. He spied his mother. She was running back and forth along the shoreline, fanning herself with her frilly pink fan while Mrs. Hubbard bounded after her, carrying the parasol aloft.
“Come out of that water at once,” his mother warbled, and he could see the panic in her eyes. Not wanting to bring her one ounce of displeasure, Richard began to wade through the river water until he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he spun to look at Harry, he knew with absolute certainty that Harry’s own plunge in the river had not cooled him off at all. Richard held up his hands.
“Let’s call a truce,” he said, signaling that he wished to surrender. “Both of our mothers are frantic, and I can’t see that—” But before Richard had the chance to finish his thought, Harry reared back and swung his fist at Richard’s chin. Richard had done a little sparring when he was younger, so he saw the shot coming for his jaw, and he dipped low in the water, avoiding it cleanly.
“That’s my boy,” Harry’s father shouted from the shoreline. “Keep your elbow up and aim for the ear. He can’t dodge away from you forever.”
“Come on, Harry,” Richard coaxed, shaking off Lord Pearl’s comments. “You know you’ll never be able to land a blow when you telegraph all your shots.” He meant the words in jest, but Harry did not take them that way.
Harry’s face contorted, and he let out a bellow. He threw his body at Richard, but again, as he could see it coming, Richard laid flat on his side and let Harry coast right over him. As Harry tried to get his footing, Richard began to walk toward the shoreline again. His mother rushed toward him but stopped short of getting her feet wet. Her eyes widened in alarm, and Richard spun just in time to evade yet another attack by Harry.
“Get up!” Lord Pearl shouted, and this time his call was echoed by Admiral Shelling.
“Don’t give up so easily,” Admiral Shelling persisted. “Never surrender!”
Richard stood overtop his friend as Harry groped to rise once more. Richard was heartily ashamed, not only of himself, but also of the way things had deteriorated so quickly between him and his best friend. He waited for Harry to come to a full, upright standing position then Richard said quietly so that his mother and the others gathered at the shoreline would not be able to hear. “Only a coward would attack when their opponent’s back was turned.”
“Are you calling me a coward?” Harry seethed.
“Are you behaving like one?” Richard retorted, but all the fire had left his system. Now, as he looked at his friend who stood inches away from him with his clothes soaking wet and his hair matted to his forehead, a horrible sense of guilt welled up inside him. “I’m sorry,” he continued hastily. “You told me to back off, and I should have listened.”
“Your apologies aren’t going to cut it this time,” Harry said, and he drew back his fist once more. The two men were so close now, it would have been nearly impossible for Richard to escape the punch, even when he knew it was coming, but he needn’t worry about it because, at that moment, Leticia appeared at his side, and Harry pulled up short with his fist floating comically in the air, ready to strike.
They were standing close enough to the shore that she had kicked off her slipper shoes and lifted the hemline of her skirts to wade in after them. “Enough,” she hissed. “The both of you are making fools of yourselves.”
Harry stood there, not moving a muscle. “I’m defending your honor, Letty.”
