“No? Are you certain?”
She nodded, then gave a little cry. “There is an eel on my foot. Get it off!” She began to writhe, then coughed as she swallowed water.
“It is just the weeds moving,” said the man, soothingly. “How about Parmesan cheese?”
Maggie giggled again.
“No.”
By now Elizabeth had reached Maggie.
Taking a deep breath, Darcy put his head under the water to see what was happening. When he emerged, his hair was plastered to his brow in a series of ringlets.
“I know what it is,” he announced after his breathing returned to normal. “Cloves.”
She giggled again. “No. You lost.”
“What is it, then?”
“Strawberry.”
“Strawberry?” he said. “Do you really like strawberry? I have a niece who likes strawberry ices, too. Do you want to guess what my favorite flavor is?”
“Cheese.”
“No, guess again.” He put out his hand to her. “Now I want you to be very brave and reach out your hand to me. If you help me pull you out, I will give you my toy rocking horse,” he said.
Maggie looked wide-eyed, first at Elizabeth, then at the man. “Really?”
“Really,sir,” he corrected.
Elizabeth could not believe it. Maggie was freezing to death, and he was giving her lessons in correct manners?
At least he had succeeded in getting Maggie’s full attention now with his generous offer. And Elizabeth had reached her. Elizabeth felt a terrible weight leave her shoulders. Everything was going to be resolved. Maggie was going to be safe!
Together, they managed to untangle the child’s skirts to set her free.
“Is it a pretty rocking horse, sir, with gold and red?”
“It has a red saddle,” said the man, solemnly, “and it may have some gold paint. But you can only have it if you show me how strong you are by staying very still.”
Elizabeth could not help but be impressed by how cleverly he had reacted to the situation.
It was not easy to get Maggie’s clothes loose, even when she was not wriggling. They were all tangled up in the reeds. She really was stuck. No wonder she was struggling so hard!
Finally, she was free. By now, Elizabeth’s legs were utterly numb. The man lifted Maggie and sloshed his way through the water, holding her above the surface, saying something to her that made her smile.
Elizabeth followed painfully slowly. The sight of him staggering onto the bank was the most welcome sight in the world.
Her heart was bursting with relief and gratitude. He may have been rather stiff at the beginning, but he had adapted valiantly to the situation. She watched him unabashedly as he moved onto the bank and gave Maggie over to a young lady who exclaimed with relief. Elizabeth could not help admiring his broad shoulders, the strong arms accentuated by the wet sleeves of his shirt, and his fine, tall figure.
She could not help but fall half in love with him right then and there. The handsome stranger was her hero.
Chapter 2
Darcy would have expected the air to be warmer than the water, but as he emerged from the water with Maggie, the air was like needles on his skin. Instinctively, he turned the child towards him so that her face nestled in his shoulder, hoping to protect her from the cruel wind.
All the time, he was aware of eyes boring into him. A crowd had gathered to watch, apparently emerging out of nowhere. Several gentlemen on horseback were watching as the three of them sloshed their way out of the water and onto dry land. A sense of resentment seized him. They were insufferable, sitting up there and staring. Where were they when help was needed? Darcywanted to growl at the spectators to go away if they could not do anything useful.
