Dead in the Water Read Free

“Don’t hog all the hot water!”
    Tish, Dottie, Cherry, and four others came towards Daisy and Bott.
    â€œDaisy, you remember Cherry?” said Tish.
    â€œYes, of course.”
    â€œHow do you do, Miss Dalrymple?” the fair-haired bowoarsman greeted her.

    â€œDaisy, please. We’re practically cousins, after all.”
    A grin lit his face. “Daisy it shall be, if you promise never to call me Erasmus.”
    â€œI promise!”
    During this exchange of social amenities, two of the men picked up a pair of oars each and returned towards the boat-house, while Daisy heard the dark number two rower say to the cox, “Jolly good show, Bott.”
    â€œThanks to St. Theresa’s hitting the booms,” the fifth oarsman said sarcastically. He was dark-haired, like Number Two, but his hair was sleeked back with pomade. Daisy thought he was the sulky stroke.
    â€œLots of boats are hitting, with this experimental course being so deucedly narrow. Bott’s steered us dead straight. We’ll beat the tar out of Richmond tomorrow.”
    â€œNot if we’re all poisoned by those filthy things he smokes.”
    Bott gave the stroke a malevolent look, then turned and headed for the house.
    â€œOh, come on, DeLancey, pack it in,” said Number Two. “Not everyone’s so frightfully keen on those foul cigars of yours.”
    â€œIt sticks in my gullet taking orders from that beastly little pipsqueak twerp,” DeLancey fumed.
    â€œAll coxes are small …”
    â€œBott’s no twerp!” Dottie interrupted, flaring up. “He’s brainier than the rest of you put together.”
    â€œOh, I say,” Cherry protested.
    â€œWell, nearly,” his fiancée affirmed, unrepentant. “You’ve got a good mind, my dear old soul, but his is tip-top.”
    Cherry looked chagrined.

    â€œBetter watch it, Miss Carrick,” DeLancey said nastily, “or you’ll be an old maid after all.”
    â€œHere, I say!” Cherry stepped forward. “You mind your tongue, DeLancey!”
    Tish put a hand on his arm. “Don’t come unbuttoned, old thing. The best way to make him eat his words is to stay engaged to Dottie.”
    â€œI shall!” her cousin snapped, “but I’d like to stuff his rotten words down his gullet, all the same.”
    â€œThis isn’t the time for a dust-up. You’ve got a race to row tomorrow,” Tish reminded him.
    â€œCommon sense and pretty, too,” DeLancey applauded mockingly. “A girl with your looks is wasted on books and lectures. I’d be glad to show you how to have a good time.”
    Tish turned her back on him.
    Number Two, his face red with suppressed fury, said through his teeth, “Didn’t I tell you it’s your turn to help with the oars, DeLancey?”
    â€œSo you did, Captain, so you did.” With insolent slowness, DeLancey strolled towards the remaining two oars.
    Captain—so Number Two was Tish’s Rollo, as Daisy had already surmised. Fists clenched, he stared after DeLancey, then shrugged and turned back to the others.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Daisy,” Tish apologised unhappily. “What a welcome!”
    Daisy murmured something soothing.
    â€œOh, didn’t introduce Rollo, did I?” The ready blood tinted her cheeks. “Roland Frieth, the crew captain.”
    â€œAnd a pretty sorry specimen of a captain you must think me, Miss Dalrymple,” Rollo said ruefully. “Unable to squash dissension in the ranks.”

    â€œI thought you squashed it very neatly,” Daisy said with a smile. “The oars are on their way to the boat-house, aren’t they?”
    They all glanced at DeLancey’s retreating back.
    â€œI ought to have introduced him, too,” Tish worried.
    Dottie snorted. “He hardly gave you much opportunity.”
    â€œOne of these days,” said Cherry darkly, “he’ll