The Convenient Felstone Marriage (Whitby Weddings 1)

‘Yes. So come here.’

She pursed her lips. A deal was a deal, but now that she was there, she wasn’t sure she could go through with it. What if he touched her? If he was going to teach her to swim, he’d need to be close to her. If she started to sink, he’d surely have to touch her! She might have to touch him! She was confused enough after what had happened between them on the beach. Touching him definitely wasn’t going to help clarify matters!

She gasped, the memory of their kiss still making her pulse quicken alarmingly. Even after they’d agreed that love was folly, she’d fallen into the old trap of letting emotion get the better of her, kissing him as if it were natural to do so, as if she weren’t hiding the shameful truth about herself. She’d felt so close to him, closer than she’d ever felt to Albert, drawn towards him like a butterfly to sunshine.

When he’d told her about his upbringing she’d seen the hurt in his face, that of a young boy, then a young man, craving love from his parents and finding no comfort from either. She’d finally understood why he said he wasn’t capable of love. He had had no experience of it. No wonder he felt such a strong urge to prove himself and his respectability to the world, channelling all his energies into business as if that was the only way he had any value, as if he didn’t truly believe in his own worth.

The old Ianthe had wanted to comfort him, but the new Ianthe had known better. She couldn’t comfort and deceive him at the same time. If her secret ever came out then it could destroy everything he’d worked for, making whatever comfort she offered him now seem like just another lie. She’d gone to bed that night with guilt gnawing a hole in her stomach.

‘The deal was that you read a poem to Matthew. You haven’t done that yet, so I can still call it off.’

There! She swung on her heel, heading back inside the hut. He’d just have to be angry with her. There was no way she was going into the water with him looking like that. She wasn’t going to let herself be tempted again.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she felt his hands around her waist, scooping her up and over his shoulder.

‘Put me down!’ She pounded her fists against his back, but he ignored her, wading out into deeper water as she wriggled against him.

‘We had an agreement, Ianthe.’

‘I’ve changed my mind!’

‘That’s not allowed.’ His hands tightened around her legs. ‘Not without both parties’ consent.’

‘Don’t you dare!’

The cold water knocked the air from her lungs, sending shock waves cascading through every limb as she splashed around frantically, waving her arms in a panic before she finally found her feet on the seabed.

‘How...could...you!’ She stood up, spluttering like a landed fish.

‘You don’t renege on a deal.’ His expression was distinctly unsympathetic.

‘It’s...so...cold.’ She wrapped her arms around her body, rubbing herself for warmth, not that it made much difference.

‘Then let’s try this again. Here.’ He uncurled her arms and reached for her waist. ‘We’ll work on your feet first.’

‘What are you doing?’ She leapt away from him with a startled squeak, almost losing her footing again.

‘Teaching you to swim. I’ll hold on to your waist, then you kick your legs out behind and move them up and down like this.’ He made a gesture with his arms.

‘Oh.’ She tensed as he placed a hand on either side of her body.

‘There. Now lean forward, over my arms.’

She did as he instructed, lying flat in the water, suddenly glad of the cold that disguised her trembling as shivering.

‘Good. Now move your feet. Small, steady movements. There’s no need to splash.’

She kicked her feet out behind her, trying to concentrate on the action and not the feeling of his biceps pressed against her stomach.

‘Now stretch your arms out in front of you.’

After a while she found herself starting to relax, almost to enjoy herself. Robert was a surprisingly patient teacher, and she did want to learn after all. The other bathers, mostly young boys splashing around, made it look so easy and natural. She wanted to be able to swim like that.

‘You’re doing well.’ His voice was reassuring. ‘I’m going to let go now.’

‘What?’ She twisted her head around in alarm.

‘Just keep doing what you’re doing. You won’t get it the first time, but I’ll catch you, I promise.’