Both girls’ jaws dropped in awe.
“You’re a bit young for that just yet,” Caroline cautioned immediately when she recognized the eagerness upon their faces.
“But I’m not,” Charlaine whispered beside Nathanial, her teeth sinking into her lower lip to contain the impatience he saw in her eyes.
Nathanial could have groaned for he knew that Charlaine could not be dissuaded once she had made up her mind. Indeed, the woman seemed to crave new experiences like a man dying of thirst craved water. Sometimes, it made her a bit reckless…and it tended to make him worry.
As expected, a few days later when the girls were occupied with Emma and a lesson on proper etiquette, Charlaine all but dragged him to the lake, a rope slung around her shoulder.
“You’re not serious, are you?” he demanded, wondering why he even bothered to ask.
She grinned at him. “You cannot tell me that Pierce’s story did not make you want to try it.”
Nathanial sighed, then reached for the rope and took it from her shoulder to sling it around his own. “Perhaps you misunderstood,” he began, unwilling to give in so easily. “They did this as boys, not any time in the recent past.”
Charlaine shrugged as she tiptoed around the trees in the grove and headed straight for the lake. “Well, I didn’t, so…” She looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m doing it now. Better late than never, isn’t that what they say?”
Nathanial huffed out an annoyed breath. “I’m certain whoever said it did not mean it in reference to a childish game.”
Halfway down to the lake, Charlaine spun around and faced him, her gaze slightly narrowed. “Why are you objecting to this so vehemently?” she demanded, her eyes sweeping over his face as though she sought to unearth his darkest secrets. “Are you afraid of heights?”
“No.”
“Afraid of trees?”
Nathanial frowned. “Have you ever known anyone to be afraid of trees?”
Ignoring him, she continued, “Afraid of the water then? Can you swim?”
“Of course, I can swim! I—”
“Then there is no good reason not to do this!”
“Yes, there is!” he all but snapped, belatedly realizing that aside from the recklessness of her plan, there was another reason why he did not want her jumping into the lake. Only too well did he remember the day the storm had caught them outside. The rain had all but plastered her thin dress to her skin, making the fabric all but translucent. “You cannot mean to…do this wearing…” he gestured at her dress, “this?” Was it getting warmer? Or was it simply the awkwardness of this awful conversation surging to his head?
A teasing smile claimed her lips. “Are you suggesting I undress?”
Nathanial felt as though his head would explode any moment now. “Of course not,” he forced out through gritted teeth, doing his best to ignore the teasing note in her voice. “I’m merely pointing out that there is a reason why you shouldn’t be doing this. A good reason!”
Her forehead furrowed as she regarded him. “So, you are not objecting because you think this is dangerous, but because you neither want me to undress nor hop in fully clothed, am I understanding this correctly?”
In all truthfulness, Nathanial could not say that he did not want her to undress or hop in fully clothed. It was rather that he thought she should not because…because merely hearing her voice such a scenario made him picture her…
Nathanial shook off these wayward thoughts, reminding himself that she was his friend and nothing more. That he needed her to be his friend. That moments like the one in the stables ought not be repeated for both their sakes.
“Very well,” Charlaine said, her arms crossing over her chest. “I will not jump in undressed or fully clothed…”
Nathanial sighed in relief. “Thank you.”
“…if you do it,” she finished with a wicked smirk upon her face.
Chapter Thirty-Five
By the Lake
For a long moment, Nathanial simply stared at her with such an adorably shocked expression upon his face that Charlaine wanted to hug him and assure him all would be well. Although she wished she could hop into the lake, feel the coolness of the water upon her skin, she did not want to make him uncomfortable.
Perhaps a compromise would serve them both.
If Nathanial jumped in, he might come to see how much fun it was and would better understand her desire to try it herself. “Or if you’re still concerned for my reputation,” she said, remembering his earlier concerns, “you could simply leave.” She glanced at the tall trees near the water’s edge. “I’m certain I can get the rope attached myself.”
“I cannot leave you alone,” he huffed out. “What if you get hurt? What if—?”
“Well, then it’s either you or me,” Charlaine said, curious what he would choose. “It’s your decision.”
Almost glaring at her, Nathanial shook his head. “You’re mad, Woman. Completely mad.”
Charlaine chuckled, having long since come to understand these words as a term of endearment. He might not understand her half the time, but neither would he forbid her. After all, he could have dragged her back to the house. He could have told Pierce. He could have…tied her to a tree in order to prevent her from doing what he did not want her to do.
After all, he had a rope slung around his shoulder.
But he did not. He was trying to reason with her, hoping she would come to see the situation as he did. However, Charlaine had no doubt that if he couldn’t, he would not force his opinion on her.
Nathanial was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.
“Well?” Charlaine prompted, not certain what she was hoping for.
Hanging his head, Nathanial exhaled a deep breath. Then he pulled the rope from his shoulder, gave her an angry look and walked past her toward the tall tree closest to the lake. His head rose and he surveyed the canopy, his gaze drifting from branch to branch, trying to determine which would suit his needs.
Or rather her needs.
Charlaine could barely suppress a chuckle as excitement coursed through her veins. She loved it when Nathanial stepped out of his comfort zone and tried something new, like attending the masquerade or dancing without shoes.
In the end, he had always loved it.
And besides, once the rope was attached, perhaps Charlaine could come back some other time and try it herself after all. Summer was slowly coming to an end, but most days were still warm enough for a quick swim.
With no shoes to begin with, Nathanial began to climb the tree, his long arms and legs facilitating his ascent. From branch to branch, he climbed upward, testing each before moving on. Soon, he stood high up, his view no doubt spectacular.
Charlaine envied him and she glanced down at her summer dress, wishing she could simply walk around in breeches and shirt as he did. It would certainly make climbing a tree easier. No doubt, though, Nathanial would be shocked speechless yet again. But so far, he had been able to adapt to everything she had proposed.
Perhaps…
Tying the rope to a higher branch, Nathanial then made his way downward until he came to stand on a branch perhaps ten paces above the water. The rope lay in his right hand as his gaze shifted from the lake below to her. “I cannot believe I’m doing this!” he called down to her. The corners of his mouth quirked upward and she could see his eyes light up with excitement.