Christine smiled seeing them fly along the water away from one of the ships. She swore she saw someone fall off, it made her laugh a little, though she hoped they were alright. She looked at the others on her own boat. "What can I do to help?" She turned her head to the red head that was close to her. "Or is it better I just keep out of the way?"

She noticed only one ship ahead of them, it was good but this was still better than she could have hoped. Well, it would be nice if the men who tried to take Alice fell into the water too.

Murphy nodded to Mehmet and looked over the other men. Other than the one who'd been shouting, they were doing what they'd been instructed. "You're all doing a fine job! Keep it up, we're in first place!' He said, almost smiling as he did and the boat charged forward.

The breeze, the cheering crowd, it was exactly what he wanted. He closed his eyes briefly to soak it up and then continued forward. He made sure the sails were full and he steered like it was second nature.

Tristan nodded and smiled sheepishly at the captain. "Gloves would be great," he said. The ropes were already starting to chafe his soft, untrained hands. Still, he was trying his best and remained very focused on his task... until Tobias started to shout and he looked up to see what was going on.

Dear God. There was the next act of a domestic drama he didn't care to watch.

But watch he did, embarrassed. He was the one who had invited Tobias onto the team.

"Pick your battles, Tobias! There's nothing you can do now, so focus!" he shouted, while his own focus had completely wandered from his task. It did so even more when someone on Mr. Meijer's boat - not Mr. Meijer himself which he regretted for only a second before remembering that he was a doctor - was knocked by a sail and beam and plunged into the water. He almost let go of his own rope. "Oh God! Someone help that man!" he shouted to no one in particular.

Shit shit shit! Where was the boat anchored!? Why did all the parts of the harbour look alike! And ugh, all these people! Why were they in his way!?

All he had done was step off the boat for a quick wee. But there had been a constable nearby, so he couldn't just go in an alley. Imagine that! Him, Robert Carrington, queuing for a public lavatory. Because of course people had pretended they didn't know who he was and he had actually had to wait his turn! Ugh, the audacity of people.

It was dizzying. Disorienting! And so once he had emptied his bladder, he had forgotten which direction he had come from. The sound of a horn added to his panic! Where. Was. The bloody start!?

Finally, it was the shouting that signaled to him that he was close. He squeezed his way through the crowd and spotted the boat. They had waited for him.

He jumped on board and looked around at the crew. Wait?! Where was Roderick! Well never mind! He turned to the two fishermen. "Well, don't just stand there! You're paid to work and we're already late!"

Roderick was hiding in the captain’s cabin, and peered out from behind his hands as though covering his eyes had rendered him invisible.

Apparently, the crew had been willing to go along with this. He knew they were hired, but they were still poors.

He stood when he heard his brother barking orders, smoothing out his plain but far too nice clothes.

Mehmet, having the time of his life, missed the more visual aspects of the drama far behind them. He had caught a glimpse of various redheads, who looked strangely familiar? Was it a funeral?

He tongued his eyetooth as the wind billowed across his bare scalp.

“What happened!” Mehmet shouted back to the beckoning fellow, uselessly.

Then he saw a whale leap out of the water. Neat!

“Hey! Get a load of this view, guys!”

Splashing, treading water like a madman, Edwin spit ocean water out of his mouth.

The boat kept going! No one even tried to catch him!

"Fu--" he dipped beneath the water, and came back up spitting salt. All he got out was, "you!"

“I’ll get us the rest of the crew.” Chéri had assured Christine and her new maid. So naturally they had invited Lory and extended the invitation to whomever Lory saw fit, ready to grant for them, whether they knew them or not.

Chéri had experience as a sailor, but they hadn’t had much practice in a very, very long time, so they mostly tried to follow what Lory told them, with some assistance from Christine when it came to translation.

They had greeted Alice with a military salute and then laughed happily, before taking their position in the boat. They seemed happy and ready and were absolutely intentioned to win.

The Carrington brothers shouting orders at him wasn't exactly a new experience for Harry. He'd been on boats before, he'd loudly said as much when his participation in this challenge was announced. He had neglected to mention the actual specifics: rowing in Hyde Park and punting on the River Cam. Still he was able to haul a rope as much as the next man. As a rope moved smoothly between his hands, he thought this sailing lark didn't seem all that hard.

Ellie herself was loving being on this boat. Girls together! When Christine had announced her desire to participate, young Ellie was right behind with her nautical know-how. The Russell's were sailors and thanks to her lack of brothers, she had sailed enough to be half decent at it. That and just by listening to your father talk about his the bits of his boat, the winds, the currents, and the catch you pick up stuff. But there was no substitute for doing instead of talking.