The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons, #2)(53)

“One of these days,” Anthony said matter-of-factly, “I’m going to kill you.”

“Of that I have no doubt.” Colin scanned the water, then suddenly pointed with his index finger. “I say! There it is.”

Sure enough, the pink ball sat in the shallow water, about two feet out from the edge of the lake. It looked to be only a foot or so deep. Anthony swore under his breath. He was going to have to take off his boots and wade in. It seemed Kate Sheffield was forever forcing him to take off his boots and wade into bodies of water.

No, he thought wearily, he hadn’t had time to remove his boots when he’d charged into The Serpentine to save Edwina. The leather had been completely ruined. His valet had nearly fainted from the horror of it.

With a groan he sat on a rock to pull off his footwear. To save Edwina he supposed it was worth a pair of good boots. To save a stupid pink Pall Mall ball—frankly, it didn’t even seem worth getting his feet wet.

“You seem to have this well in hand,” Colin said, “so I’m going to go help Miss Sheffield pull up the wickets.”

Anthony just shook his head in resignation and waded in.

“Is it cold?” came a feminine voice.

Good God, it was her. He turned around. Kate Sheffield was standing on the shore.

“I thought you were pulling up wickets,” he said, somewhat testily.

“That’s Edwina.”

“Too bloody many Miss Sheffields,” he muttered under his breath. There ought to be a law against letting sisters come out in the same season.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

“I said it’s freezing,” he lied.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

That got his attention. “No, you’re not,” he finally said.

“Well, no,” she admitted. “Not for your losing, anyway. But I didn’t intend for you to freeze your toes off.”

Anthony was suddenly gripped by the most insane desire to see her toes. It was a horrible thought. He had no business lusting after this woman. He didn’t even like her.

He sighed. That wasn’t true. He supposed he did like her in an odd, paradoxical sort of way. And he thought, strangely enough, she might be beginning to like him in much the same manner.

“You would have done the same thing if you were me,” she called out.

He said nothing, just continued his slow wade.

“You would have!” she insisted.

He leaned down and scooped up the ball, getting his sleeve wet in the process. Damn. “I know,” he replied.

“Oh,” she said, sounding surprised, as if she hadn’t expected him to admit it.

He waded back out, thankful that the ground by the shore was firmly packed, so that dirt didn’t stick to his feet.

“Here,” she said, holding out what looked like a blanket. “It was in the shed. I stopped by on my way down. I thought you might need something to dry your feet.”

Anthony opened his mouth, but oddly enough, no sound emerged. Finally, he managed, “Thank you,” and took the blanket from her hands.

“I’m not such a terrible person, you know,” she said with a smile.

“Neither am I.”

“Perhaps,” she allowed, “but you shouldn’t have tarried so long with Edwina. I know you did it just to vex me.”

He lifted a brow as he sat on the rock so he could dry his feet, dropping the ball onto the ground next to him. “Don’t you think it’s possible that my delay had anything to do with my wanting to spend time with the woman I’m considering making my wife?”

She colored slightly, but then muttered, “This has to be the most self-centered thing I’ve ever said, but no, I think you just wanted to vex me.”

She was right, of course, but he wasn’t going to tell her so. “As it happens,” he said, “Edwina was delayed. Why, I do not know. I deemed it impolite to seek her out in her room and demand that she hurry along, so I waited in my study until she was ready.”

There was a long moment of silence, then she said, “Thank you for telling me that.”

He smiled wryly. “I’m not such a terrible person, you know.”

She sighed. “I know.”

Something about her resigned expression made him grin. “But maybe a little terrible?” he teased.

She brightened, their return to levity obviously making her much more comfortable with the conversation. “Oh, for certain.”

“Good. I’d hate to be boring.”

Kate smiled, watching him as he pulled on his stockings and boots. She reached down and picked up the pink ball. “I’d better carry this back to the shed.”

“In case I’m overcome by an uncontrollable urge to toss it back in the lake?”

She nodded. “Something like that.”

“Very well.” He stood. “I’ll take the blanket, then.”

“A fair trade.” She turned to walk up the hill, then spied Colin and Edwina disappearing into the distance. “Oh!”

Anthony turned quickly around. “What is it? Oh, I see. It seems your sister and my brother have decided to head back without us.”

Kate scowled at their errant siblings, then shrugged in resignation as she started trudging up the hill. “I suppose I can tolerate your company for a few more minutes if you can tolerate mine.”