“But you may be washed out to sea!”
“I hardly think so. It’s shallow where ladies are permitted to swim.”
Aunt Gertrude leaned a little across the small table, lowering her voice. “I have not liked to mention it before, but there are unscrupulous gentlemen who think nothing of employing telescopes to catch a glimpse of beauty in the waves. Disgraceful, but what would you? Men are men all over!”
The devil got into Delia. “Perhaps we should welcome it, Aunt? Who knows but what my unclothed charms may attract me a husband at last.”
“Delia, you dreadful child!”
But a quivering lip betrayed Aunt Gertrude’s amusement, and Delia took instant advantage. “I wish you will come out of the mops, Aunt, and cease scolding. Did you sleep ill?”
For a moment, the issue hung in the balance. A spark in the old lady’s eye warned of rising temper, but then she gave a reluctant bark of laughter. “I like your spirit, Delia. Never knew you had it in you.” She gave a disgruntled sigh and picked up her coffee cup. “It’s my sciatica, child. Giving me gyp. Dare say I’ve walked too much.”
“Then we won’t walk today.”
“Good heavens, don’t be ridiculous, girl! Of course I will walk. One cannot do other in Weymouth. Besides, I’ll not have everyone imagining I’m incapacitated again.”
Delia mustered patience. “I only meant we need not promenade. We may remain in the Assembly Rooms and I can fetch and carry for you. There’s no ball tonight, is there?”
It took a deal of argument, but at length Lady Matterson consented to settle for a quieter day, though Delia was torn. On the one hand, she was relieved to be barred from encountering those prying eyes — if they were real. On the other, curiosity niggled to discover if she really was under observation. And by whom.
She could not avoid the suspicion that the eyes might belong to one of the men employed by Giff’s cousin. But she had seen no one resembling the fellows Sam or Barney. And why in the world should they be watching her? Here, of all places, too, where they might be caught by the militia.
Or, no. The soldiery were searching in the forest, if indeed they continued to try to find those men. Several days had elapsed and Captain Rhoades had not returned with any news.
As the day wore on, Delia became convinced she had been mistaken. She was obliged to trip through the streets a couple of times on errands for her aunt, and the odd feeling did not resurface.
The following morning, she accompanied Lady Matterson to the bathing room at an early hour and left her there as she made her way down to the beach reserved for ladies, with Sally in attendance as usual.
“It’s no manner of use objecting, Miss Delia,” had said this worthy on the first occasion, “for I’ve my orders from her ladyship.”
In the event, it was helpful to leave her towel and wrapper with the maid while she entered the water in her bathing dress, but it was restrictive since she felt she could not dawdle as long as she wished.
Today, however, she determined to take her time. There were several hardy creatures like herself who preferred to take to the waves without the assistance of a dipper. Delia greeted those that came near, but she preferred to take her swim alone.
There was pleasure in lying on her back in the buoyant water, keeping her balance with a little movement of her limbs, and gazing up at the skies.
They were grey today, overcast with the prospect of drizzle. The waves were stronger too, but her shift-like garment spreading about her helped to keep her afloat. One could lie here for hours, bobbing on the water like a cork, alone in a breathless world with nothing but the crying gulls and the swish of the surf on the shore to disturb one’s peace.
A sudden shriek of alarm smote her ears. Losing balance, Delia tipped up, swallowed water and came coughing to her feet in the shallows.
She glanced about for the source of the cry and saw the other women hurrying out of the water as best they could for their clinging garments. She threw an arm out towards the nearest one, calling. “What is it? What’s to do?”
The woman’s attention caught and she half-turned, pointing back to sea.
Delia looked in that direction and her heart stilled.
A rowboat! Two men, plying far too near the shore.
Her mind jumped to the previous day buying fish. Was it the same one? Were these the same men?
“Miss Delia! Miss Delia! Come on out!”
Sally! She sounded panicked.
Hesitating, Delia stared at the nearby rower, trying to judge if the image fit the one from yesterday. He had a sturdy build as far as she could judge. Sam? Could it be? And was the other Barney? Neither man was looking towards her, and their faces were shadowed in the gloom of the day.
“Miss Delia, for pity’s sake!”