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“I make no promises on that score, but I should like it to go on record that I made a good-faith effort to keep everyone dry.”

Caroline laughed again, and he found that he liked the sound very much.

“What do we do now?” Meg asked.

“We put the boats in the water at the same time and see which one reaches Wesley first,” Benedict said.

“The blue one,” Meg announced confidently.

“You never can tell.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “It may be that the red boat surprises you.”

Meg hopped excitedly. “It’s a race!”

“Would you like me to put both boats into the water?” he asked.

“Not at all.” Caroline reached for the blue boat. “You may be honorable in most aspects of your life, my lord, but if memory serves, boat racing is not one of them. I will not have you setting the red one ahead of the blue one right at the start.”

“Ah!” Benedict placed a hand on his chest. “I am wounded by your vicious words.”

Her blue eyes sparkled with merriment. “It’s a very good thing Henry is not here. He would likely insist upon setting the red boat on the water as well.” And then, as though she were ten years old again, she knelt at the riverbank and held her boat over the water. “Will you start us off, Meg?”

“Yes, Mama.”

Caroline nodded. “We are ready, my lord.”

Benedict knelt beside her and extended his arm over hers so that the red boat lay parallel to the blue one. He leaned closer. Their shoulders touched, but she did not move away. She smelled of fresh air and flowers. Her warmth penetrated his coat sleeve, leaving his skin tingling. At his other side, Meg was hopping and clapping. Before him, the water gurgled, and a blackbird sang. But for three long heartbeats, time stood still.

“Ready?” Meg called.

Benedict blinked. No. He was not sure what he was, but it definitely wasn’t ready.

“Steady,” Meg said.

With his thoughts whirling, he lowered his boat so the hull grazed the water.

“Go!” Meg cried.

Caroline released her boat a fraction of a second before Benedict, and the blue craft surged into an early lead.

“Yay! The blue boat is winning!” Meg ran along the bank, keeping pace with the bobbing boats.

“Go fast, little blue!” Caroline called, brushing the grass off her gown as she came to her feet.

Benedict stood beside her, desperately attempting to put whatever he’d just experienced behind him. It was nothing. He took a step back. That helped. It was easier to believe he’d imagined his response to Caroline’s touch if he couldn’t smell her floral perfume.

“It looks like the red boat is destined to finish last every time.” Caroline laughed.

Shaking off his unsettling thoughts, Benedict turned his attention to Wesley. The young man had already fished the blue boat out of the water and was waiting for the red one to reach him.

“I obviously need to improve my launching technique,” Benedict said.

Caroline’s eyes sparkled. “Does that mean you wish a rematch?”

“Absolutely.” Not if it meant he was pressed up against her, however. He could only ignore so much. “This time, I’ll help Meg launch it.”

As soon as he’d rescued both sailboats, Wesley walked them back to Benedict. “Are they going again, my lord?”

“They are, indeed.” He caught Meg’s eye. She’d followed Wesley and was intently watching the transfer of the small vessels into Benedict’s hands. “What do you think, Meg? Would you like to release the red one this time?”