It's mid-July and summer is in full swing, letting itself be known just as Bertie is going over his vowel sounds again. Sweat beads on his upper lip as he makes the "a" sound for twenty seconds straight.
The heat makes even this simple exercise difficult, and he soon feels out of breath, asking if he could please have a glass of water.
Lionel agrees that this is probably a good idea for the both of them and walks over to the table holding the pitcher and glasses. Lionel removes his jacket, and it feels as if a great weight has been lifted off his shoulders—literally.
"Would you like a hanger to hang up your jacket? You've got to be sweltering in that," Lionel suggests.
"I-I don't think that that's p-proper. Both of us being g-gentlemen. Well, one of us at least," Bertie teases.
Lionel smiles good-naturedly.
"Suit yourself. Just think how proper it will be when I have to revive after you pass out from heat exhaustion. You might find you want to reconsider."
He waits for the king to consider the scenario:
Clean cut, prim and proper Bertie being given mouth-to-mouth on the floor of his friend's office. It would simply be the icing on the proverbial cake if one of the boys or Myrtle or God forbid, the Queen, decided to walk in at the exact moment he had been saving the man's life.
Bertie's face reddens.
"On second thought, perhaps it would be best if I hung up m-my coat."
"I had gathered as much," replied Lionel, walking over to take his jacket.
Bertie nods and takes a gulp of fresh, cool water.
"I doubt you'd much want my Australian lips to your much-refined English ones as you lay prostrated on my floor."
Bertie sputters into his glass and quickly swallows his drink down.
"That wasn't f-funny," says Bertie in mock anger, smile ghosting his wet lips.
"Alright; enough of this nonsense!" Lionel instructs. "Let's start back up with the lovely letter 'e'."
Bertie can't tell whether it's the thought of Lionel's lips on his own or the dreadful heat that's making his cheeks feel warm every time Lionel catches him looking at him.