“I do not doubt your ability, sir, but Maggie is terrified, and she needs me.”
Irritation surged in him. He saw no point in her presence. Still, he could hardly blame a mother for wanting to save her child. Heresolutely turned his back to her and left her to her own devices. He could not worry about her. She knew how to swim. The water almost reached her shoulders, but at least she was able to tread water and stand with her head above the surface if she grew tired.
“Maggie,” he said, in a reasoning tone, “just listen to me. If you hold onto my shoulders, I will take you to dry land.”
But Maggie was beyond reason.
With a feeling of dread, he thought he might need the mother’s assistance after all.
At first, Elizabeth Bennet had no choice but to admire the gentleman’s determination from afar, because she was held back by her dratted skirts, but she was not going to leave anything to chance. Now, as she drew closer, she could see he was not as in control of the situation as he believed, and her initial relief turned to worry. Maggie was fighting bravely to keep her head above water, but too terrified to understand the gentleman’s efforts to help her. If Elizabeth did not intervene soon, something terrible was going to happen.
Elizabeth endeavored to stay calm, and to find a solution, wracking her brain for a way to distract Maggie. Meanwhile, she hoped hearing a familiar voice at least would help.
“Maggie, poppet. I am here now. There is no need to be afraid. You know how to swim. You will not drown.”
“Snakes,” Maggie gasped, her eyes wild. “Snakes! They’re all over.”
“Snakes? In the Serpentine?” said the gentleman, in a reasonable voice. “They are more likely to be eels.”
Elizabeth clucked in frustration. He had just made matters worse by confirming Maggie’s fears.
“Eels!” screeched Maggie, shrinking even further from him and putting her arms out to Elizabeth, who was trying her best to reach her, but her skirts were not only waterlogged. They kept catching on vegetation, restricting her movement.
“He is only joking,” said Elizabeth. “Those are just weeds moving in the current. This nice gentleman is here to help you. He is taller than me and has stronger arms. He will pull you away from the weeds while I untangle them from your legs. If you stay very still, I will get you an ice as a very special treat.”
“In this icy weather?” remarked the gentleman, his voice laced with skepticism.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Yes. Maggie loves to have ices at Gunter’s, don’t you, sweetheart?”
“I do,” said the little girl. She was starting to grow calmer.
“Ices atGunter’s?” said the gentleman.
Elizabeth gave him the kind of look she would give Lydia, when she was trying to stop her sister from saying something foolish.
“Must you be so literal?” She sent him a warning message with her eyes. “As long as it’s working.”
She indicated Maggie, who had stopped struggling and was treading water as Elizabeth had taught her to do in the pond at Longbourn. She was proud of her. Hopefully they would be able to get her out of the water now.
“You do know that Gunter’s does not offer ices during the winter season,” remarked the man, pressing his point.
Elizabeth winced. She could only hope Maggie had not heard him. “Is that so? Thank you for informing me.”
Unfortunately, Maggie’s earshadpicked it up. Without the distraction of going to Gunter’s, she began to struggle again.
“Do you want her to calm down or not?” she said, in a hushed voice. Elizabeth tried not to be vexed at him, but she was on the verge of panicking. Every second they stayed in the water made it more dangerous.
Understanding flashed in his eyes. “Can I guess what flavor you prefer, Miss Margaret?” He had finally grasped what Elizabethwas trying to do. “I will see if my pastry chef can prepare some ices for us.”
He had captured Maggie’s interest. She turned to him eagerly.
“You can have three guesses,” she replied, pertly.
“That will be easy.” He bent down and started to untangle the weeds wrapped around her. “Artichoke.”
Meanwhile, Elizabeth edged closer.
Maggie giggled. “No!”
