“Mary!” Lady Blake arrived, panting. “Are you unhurt? Phillipa and I just heard the news. We were in the refreshment tent.”
Zach was pleased to see the woman seemed genuinely upset. Phillipa, however, looked annoyed.
“Get her into the carriage, Mother, she is making a spectacle of us.”
“Your sister just fell in the water and hit her head, Miss Blake. Perhaps you could show her some compassion?” He glared at her.
The expression on Phillipa’s face would have made him laugh had he one in him. But it was Mary’s look that had him studying her pale features. She was shocked that he’d stood up for her. Had no one ever done that before?
“Well said, little brother,” Nathan whispered into his ear. “Now, can we go? I am cold.”
“I have blankets!” Lady Littleton closely followed by a servant carrying a pile of them, was coming toward them.
Zach took one off the pile and opened it. He then dropped it around Mary’s shoulders before doing the same for himself.
“Come along, Mary. We will get you to your carriage,” Zach said, holding out his arm.
She looked at it for long seconds.
“I do not bite,” he said in a hard voice. “Take my arm.”
She did, and they started walking with the others trailing in their wake. They chose the path down the side of the house as directed by the hostess, so as not to distress the other guests by their damp state.
“I’m sorry I could not reach you before you fell,” Zach said.
“I-I was clumsy. It was not your fault. And you rescued me from the water.” She was shivering.
“I’m sorry just the same.”
“Zach?”
“Yes, Mary.”
“Will you say something cutting and insult me please?”
“What?” He glanced down at her. The tendrils of her blond hair were starting to dry around her face, and he saw the color was like antique gold. Gabe had a statue of a knight made of just that color.
“You rescued me, then were nice to me in the water. Phillipa is no doubt reeling from your cutting words to her and likely rethinking you as her next suitable husband. I’m not sure I can c-cope with too much more of you like this.”
“Have I told you that I believe Wordsworth writes flowery drivel?”
Mary gasped theatrically. “Take that back!”
“Flowery prose that holds no appeal to anyone but the silly romantics among us.”
“You cad!” she snapped.
“Wisdom and Spirit of the universe, thou soul that art the eternity of thought,” he recited. “Absolute drivel,” Zach said, swallowing his smile. “I have absolutely no notion of what that means—”
Mary’s screech had someone swatting him on the back of the head. Turning, he found Beth.
“For a brief shining moment, we had peace. It seems that is over. Do leave off, Zach. Mary is dripping wet and in imminent danger of getting a chill,” Nathan said.
“Yes, do leave off, Zach,” Mary sniffed, sounding pathetic. But the wicked gleam in her eyes told him differently. She was enjoying their exchange as much as he was and it made him feel alive.
“But Mother, I have no wish to leave!” Phillipa wailed behind them.
“Your sister cannot stay here like this,” Lady Blake said.
