She is swimming in her chemise, and nothing else!
Lady Elkins hadn’t yet noticed his arrival and was still singing to herself as she swam through the water, moving freely.
Jeremy could have happily stood there for ages, catching more and more glimpses of her body under the water, but he knew he had to speak soon, or when she turned to find him, she could scream in surprise, and then he would be caught.
“If only I had known you could be so bold, My Lady.” His words made her splash in the water. She abruptly looked round, her head almost slipping under as her eyes found his. At once, her arms came up over her body. “Have no fear, the water shields you. I cannot see anything.”
“Your Grace!” she snapped angrily. “What are you doing here? We have no chaperone, no one. Not to mention I am…” She glanced down at what she was doing.
“Well, I did not exactly call at the front door.”
“Why not?”
“Because I wished to see you, and I have a feeling what I have to say you will not want your brother-in-law to hear.” He offered a smile with the words and walked around the lake, keeping his eyes on her. He rather liked the way a blush had shot up across her face and was bleeding into her hair line. “Do you often swim in just a chemise?”
“Do you think I am going to answer that question?” she said firmly, her eyes widening further still. He came to a stop on the riverbank that was closest to her. With the distance between them shortened, he could see a little more of her body. Her legs moved beneath her, treading water, and she kept her arms firmly over her torso, so he could not see through the murky water and the chemise.
“I rather like this wild side of you,” he murmured, tilting his head to the side as he watched her. She mimicked the action, tilting her head too.
“Wild?” she asked. “I thought most men were not fond of wildness.”
“Where did you hear that?” The mere idea puzzled him. Who wouldn’t want some wildness in a woman?
“My husband always said that propriety was a woman’s best quality.” She was clearly irked by the idea, even as she repeated the words.
“Then your husband was a blind man,” he said softly. “I should not speak ill of the dead, I know, but still… what husband when finding you like this would not go in and join you?” He was startled to see she laughed at his words, tipping her head back.
“Oh, you are mischievous. Is that what you want to do right now? Dive in here and join me?”
“Was that an offer?” He began to shift his tailcoat down his shoulders, watching as she swam back a little in the water.
“No!”
“Shame.” He moved his tailcoat back over his shoulders. “I think we could have both enjoyed that.” Once more, he walked around the lake, finding his eyes struggled to leave her. She seemed to do the same, not once looking away from him.
Do not look at me like that, My Lady, or I will be tempted to satisfy my desire right here.
“Enough of your games, Your Grace. Why are you here?” she asked, swimming to his side of the lake. When she got to the edge, it revealed how deep it was, for she did not appear above the water, but stayed firmly in it, her chin over the surface and her fingers clinging to the riverbank.
“A few reasons.” He dropped down to the earth, sitting before her. “First, no more calling me ‘Your Grace’.”
“What?” she spluttered. “You are a Duke, how else am I supposed to address you?”
“I have a name and I would like you to use it. Jeremy.”
“Jeremy?” she murmured, shaking her head another time. “I have known you for years,Your Grace,”she emphasized the words, “and you have never asked me to call you by your name before, why do it now?”
“Because if I am going to take you up on that favor you asked of me, then you can hardly keep calling me ‘Your Grace’.” He held his breath as he uttered the words, waiting to see her reaction.
Lady Elkins said nothing for a minute, though she stared up at him, her legs continuing to move through the water as she eyed him. He couldn’t figure out her reaction. Was there excitement there? Her breath certainly seemed to hitch. Or disdain? For her eyes had narrowed on him.
“I didn’t ask you for the favor,” she murmured eventually. “It was Rachel’s idea, not my own.”
“Yet you must have been intrigued by the idea, mustn’t you? Otherwise, why mention it all?” he asked with his hands outstretched. He could see he had her now. Her eyes narrowed once again as her cheeks blushed.
“Damn you and your confidence.”
“Ha! Is it confidence? Or is it perception?” He reached down toward her, offering his hand to help her out of the lake, but she didn’t take it. “I have come to make you an offer, Lady Elkins. Or, if you will let me call you as such, Sophia…” He paused, waiting to see if she would object.