“Poor old Neptune has worked up a lather too,” Antonia said, pointing to his mount. “Come on, I’ll help you rub him down.”
As they cantered toward the stables a sudden breeze blew Antonia’s long, dark hair about her shoulders, but Anthony’s tiewig was plastered damply to his head. “The breeze is picking up, let’s go sailing after lunch,” he suggested.
“Sounds good to me, Tony. In fact, why don’t we get Mr. Burke to pack the picnic basket? I’m going to wear a pair of those wide canvas knee-breeches. It’s too hot for skirts.”
“It’s too damned hot for wigs too. I’m just going to tie my hair back with a thong.”
“I’ll bring along those yellow oilskins I bought in London. We’ll see if they keep us dry like they’re supposed to.”
“It’s too damned hot for oilskins, but bring them along, it’s always a lot cooler out on the water.”
When they took the horses inside the stable Anthony said, “I’ll do this, you see about the picnic lunch.”
“I don’t mind seeing to my own horse,” she protested.
“This is man’s work,” Tony pointed out, “food is woman’s work.”
“That’s a beastly thing to say, Tony Lamb!”
He looked at her blankly, totally uncomprehending why she should complain.
Antonia sighed. He’d never understand in a million years.
When her grandmother saw Antonia descending the stairs dressed in what looked like a wool-knit undervest and canvas breeches, her eyebrows went up slightly. “I take it we are sailing this afternoon?”
“Yes, Mr. Burke has packed us a picnic lunch. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Mind? My prayers have been answered.” Roz winked outrageously. “Major Jeremy Blount is paying me an afternoon call.”
“Isn’t he the member of Parliament for Stoke? Since when did you develop an interest in politics?”
“Since I saw the bulge of the saddle muscles in his thighs, darling.”
“We’ll be gone hours and hours,” Antonia promised, tying back her dark hair with a leather thong.
Anthony joined them wearing identical clothes and Antonia tossed him an oilskin just as Mr. Burke came into the hall with the picnic basket.
Roz said, “Mr. Burke, I don’t know how you can look at them and keep a straight face.”
“’tis the height of fashion to be eccentric,” Antonia said lightly, seeing the amusement in Mr. Burke’s eyes.
Roz’s glance swept over the twins from head to foot. “You go beyond eccentric. I hope Sir Jeremy doesn’t see you. He’ll think he’s having blue devils or double vision from the gin I plied him with last evening.”
In the boathouse the twins climbed aboard theSeagulland Antonia covered the picnic basket with the yellow oilskins. They each had specific things to check and certain maneuvers to perform before taking off from the boathouse.
Anthony took the sails from the sailbags while Antonia checked the rigging. A frown creased her brow as she noticed immediately that the lines were tangled. “The lines are fouled!” she exclaimed.
Anthony had total faith in her ability to cope with any hitch and replied, “Get the knots out quickly, I have the jib ready.”
Her nimble fingers unknotted the line and she only had time to give the jibstay a cursory check before Tony attached it and they pushed off from shore. She had no time to test the forestay before Anthony hoisted the jib and allowed it to flap while he turned the sloop head-to-wind so he could attach the mainsail.
“Damnation, Tony, why didn’t you see that the main-sheet was unfouled when we docked last week?” he asked impatiently.
“You know I always leave everything shipshape. I have no idea how these lines got knotted and tangled.” She uncleated the mainsheet and they both worked on the knots so they could hoist the mainsail. As a consequence they paid scant attention to the stays, shrouds, or halyards. The wind was really picking up now and the boat seemed to come alive instantly in the brisk breeze.
As Anthony headed from the mouth of the Medway into the sea, he was grinning from ear to ear. “Jibe-oh,” he cried, pushing the tiller away from his body, and in unison they ducked to avoid the boom.
Anthony tacked expertly, changing theSeagull’scourse by turning into and through the wind. Antonia kept a sharp eye out for other craft, as this was one of the main shipping routes for both navy and merchant vessels. Anthony adjusted the tiller constantly, guiding theSeagullover and around the small waves.