Read Oxford Blood (The Cavaliers: Book One) Page 40

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  The next day, still racking her brains for a solution, Harriet set out with the others to see the final day’s racing. Ben greeted them cheerfully enough at the boathouse, but his eyes twitched with nerves.

  “If we pull it off, it’ll be the first time Lilith has been Head of the River in five years,” he explained. “We can absolutely do it. All we’ve got to do is stay ahead of Oriel, and we’re definitely the better team this year. The only trouble is there’s more motivation in chasing a boat than just rowing as fast as possible through an empty expanse of water. Plus, I’m scared that we’re complacent, and they’re hungry.”

  George’s warning dominated Harriet’s thoughts. Would the Cavaliers really kill Ben if his boat lost? She clenched her fists, willing Ben and the rest of the team to row as hard as they possibly could.

  Some people in the college’s boathouse seemed to be working on the principle that Lilith had already won. They downed Pimm’s and sang at the top of their voices. Even science students didn’t have to work on a Saturday, so the crowd was the biggest it had been all week.

  When the race started, Harriet cheered and chanted along with everyone else. As Oriel’s boat drew closer to Lilith’s, she closed her eyes. Everyone took the race very seriously, but only she knew that it could well be a matter of life or death. She kept them closed until the cheering started again, louder and more enthusiastic than before. Caroline grabbed her and screamed with joy.

  “Did you miss it? We made it over the line! We’ve won!” She rushed off to find Ben.

  Harriet slumped against the edge of the balcony, utterly emotionally drained.

  “Phew, that was fun,” Ola said. “Shall we go and congratulate Ben too once Caroline’s finished with him?”

  Harriet agreed, and they climbed down the stairs. The path teemed with overexcited college members. Caroline forcibly pushed through the crowd to reach Ben, but Harriet and the others held back.

  “Congratulations!” Harriet said, once they’d finally managed to get near him. She gave him a hug.

  “Thanks,” he replied. Despite his laboured breathing, he grinned like a man whose dreams had all come true. “I don’t think I’ve ever rowed so fast in my life. Oriel certainly gave us a fight. I feel quite sorry for Joe, actually.”

  “Who’s Joe?” Harriet asked.

  “Another Cavalier candidate. He rows for Oriel. I hope the committee cut him some slack, he couldn’t have rowed much better than he did.”

  Harriet pulled Ben aside. “Listen to me,” she whispered. “Find this Joe. Tell him to get on the train to wherever he comes from to go and stay with his parents for a while. Don’t ask me why. Just do it.”

  Ben looked at her wide-eyed, but he nodded. “I don’t know if he’ll listen to me of all people though. He’s going to be sulking after I beat him.”

  “Make him listen,” she pleaded, before the flow of college well-wishers swept them apart.