She shook her head then frowned as he handed her the candle, sat down, and started pulling off his boots. “What are you doing?”
“There’s an entrance down there. Under the water. I’m going to see if it’s a way out.” He placed his satchel aside and stripped off his jacket. For one breathless moment she wondered if he was going to remove his shirt, too, but he clearly decided against it, and she experienced an irrational moment of pique. He lowered himself into the clear water, swam forward a few strokes, and then dived under the surface.
Hester held her breath as she watched him swim towards the lighter section. It seemed to be extremely far down. She let out a moan of dismay as he disappeared completely. Good lord, where had he gone? Was he drowning down there? Had he abandoned her?
Tense moments later her heart almost burst with relief when he reappeared. His head broke the surface, and he took a deep lungful of air. “It’s an exit, all right.” He grinned, treading water. “But it’s quite far down. How well can you swim?”
“Tolerably well. But I’m not sure I can hold my breath for as long as you can.”
He pulled himself out onto the side next to her, like a dripping merman. His shirt was almost transparent. It sucked and molded to his chest and arms with distracting precision, and Hester glanced away, suddenly hot.
“You can do it,” he cajoled. “I’ll guide you.”
She shook her head. “Why don’tyouswim through, go back to the village, and come back with a way to open the gate? I’ll stay right here and wait for you.”
“No time for that. I’ll be damned if I let Drovetti get away with stealing our necklace.”
“Mynecklace.”
“Oh, all right,yournecklace. We need to get after him as soon as possible.”
Hester couldn’t fault the logic of that. “Oh, very well.”
She followed Tremayne back up the steps and watched as he pushed his boots, satchel, and jacket out between the bars of the gate. He turned and sent her an expectant look. “What are you waiting for? You can’t swim in those skirts. Take ‘em off.”
Hester glared at him. He was correct, of course; the extra fabric would become waterlogged and make swimming impossible, but the thought of undressing down to her shift and stays in front of him was mortifying.
He reached out to unlace the front tie of her shirt, but she batted his hands away. “I can manage without assistance, thank you!”
He shrugged and sent her a wicked grin. “Just trying to be helpful.”
He went back down the steps, presumably to give her a little privacy, and with a growl of resignation, she made short work of stepping out of her split skirts and shirt. Warm air swirled around her bare legs, exposed to the knee by her short cotton shift, and she glanced down in despair at the ridiculously feminine item.
Before she’d come to Egypt she’d purchased the most beautiful French undergarments—sheer as gossamer and trimmed with lace. She’d told herself it was practical, because of the heat, but she’d always experienced a deliciously feminine thrill whenever she pulled the material over her skin. She’d never thought anyone would actuallyseeher in them.
Now, as the sun heated the bare skin on her shoulders and the curve of her breasts above her short stays, she realized how very immodest they were. Still, Harry Tremayne probably wouldn’t even bat an eyelid. He’d doubtless seen far more attractive women in far less.
Hester descended the stairs. As expected, Tremayne only spared her a brief glance before he looked away. He was already back in the water, and she lowered herself down next to him with a little shiver at the cooler temperature. Her shift ballooned up around her waist, and she shoved it back down to protect her modesty.
He glanced round at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Ready for an adventure? There’s an arched tunnel down there, very short, with an iron grate like a portcullis. You need to swim beneath it—there’s a gap of about two feet. Just follow me.”
Hester nodded. Her heart was already beating urgently against her ribs. Tremayne took a deep breath and dived below the surface, and Hester did the same.
The water was incredibly clear. Kicking her legs, she followed him down toward the patch of light. Her ears popped. He disappeared under the stone archway, and she saw him wriggle his way beneath the metal grill he’d described. Once he was through, he turned in the water and beckoned her forward, extending his hand.
Her lungs were beginning to burn. She caught hold of the metal spikes and started to swim beneath them, but her back scraped on the jagged metal, and she felt the material of her stays catch—and hold. An involuntary moan escaped her mouth, and she expelled a surprised batch of bubbles.
She opened her eyes wide and started to thrash wildly. Oh, god, she was stuck and running out of air. Never had she wanted to suck in a breath more, but there was water, water everywhere and she would drown if she inhaled.
And then, suddenly, Harry was there. His palms cupped her cheeks, holding her head still as his eyes met hers through the clear water. He looked calm, determined. Capable. Before she could fathom what he meant to do, he tilted his head and sealed his mouth over hers.
Her lips parted in surprise, and to her amazement she felt himbreatheinto her mouth, pushing air into her lungs. It was a most peculiar feeling. She inhaled what he exhaled, and the unbearable tightness in her chest eased.
The world steadied. Harry withdrew his mouth, sent her a satisfied nod, then reached behind her and tugged at her stays. They came free with a sudden jolt, and he grabbed her hand and kicked his legs, propelling them both to the surface.
They emerged with great gasping breaths, sucking air into their lungs. Harry let out a wild whooping cry of triumph, and Hester began to laugh, gasping and spluttering in disbelief.
They were only twenty feet from the bank. They hauled themselves out of the water onto the sandy beach and collapsed, panting, on their backs beneath the swaying date palms. Hester’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, and she rolled her head to the side to find Tremayne in no better condition. A grin split his face as he looked back at her.