"But that's crazy!"
She felt his hand on her forehead. She was cool to his touch. He sat perfectly silent for many moments. Then he felt fury flow through him. He was wondering if she had been drugged. Dear God, why?
She felt one of his hands slide beneath her thighs. "What are you doing?"
"I think you and I are going for a swim."
"All right."
"If I dunk you enough, I suspect it will clear your head."
The cool evening water did indeed bring her about. They stayed in the water nearly an hour. Lyon practiced restraint. He'd missed her terribly and had felt guilty most of his trip because they'd parted in anger. Then he'd felt rage at what he'd seen at Mendenhall plantation.
"I did leave you here because I wanted you to be safe. I'm a bloody fool."
He cursed floridly.
Diana, clearheaded now, wrapped her arms about his neck and kissed the pulse in his throat.
"Don't tempt me, woman."
"Why not?"
"Because," he said and frowned over her head. A wave knocked them forward at that moment, and they went under in a welter of arms and legs.
"Because why?" Diana asked when they'd emerged.
"Because," he said thoughtfully, cupping her chin in his hand, "if I'm not mistaken, someone drugged you."
She gaped up at him.
"I left you here safe and someone drugged you."
"That's insane!"
"Yes," Lyon said slowly, "yes, it is."
"But ---"
"I want you to tell me exactly what you ate and drank at dinner last night. And today."
She did. When she'd finished, Lyon took her hand and led her out of the water. Slowly, he toweled her off and handed her her dressing gown.
"Very interesting," he said only. "That sweet-potato pone, no one else ate any of it?"
She shook her head. "No, as I said, Dido had prepared it for my father, but he insisted I eat it. I did."
They walked back toward the house.
"Lyon?"
"Yes, love?"
"What is going on here?"
"If I don't find out quickly," he said finally, "you and I are leaving."
Lyon, the next morning over breakfast, took the bull by the proverbial horns.