“Perry.” She touched his arm.
He stiffened. “What?” He cleared his throat. “I don’t feel comfortable. Too many people.”
“Do you want to return home? I’m sorry I insisted on taking a walk.” She turned around, ready to leave the park, but he took her arm.
“No, I don’t want to leave. You and Oliver are right. I need to go out more. My only concern is my condition.” He glanced around. “I don’t want any witnesses.”
“We’ll find a nice path that’s not too crowded.” She hooked her arm through his although he remained stiff and tense.
“Thank you.”
His muscles loosened a little when she took one of the less crowded paths. The tree branches were mostly bare, but the warm breeze held the promise of a lovely spring. The scent of wet soil and pine resin was a feast for the senses.
“Do you feel less tense?” she asked.
“I do.” He sounded anything but.
But it was her turn to tense when she spotted the Serpentine. Every time she saw it, no matter how far away, her knees weakened with fear of the water. The sunlight glinted off its smooth surface, glittering with gold. A pretty sight, but fear never failed to chill her.
She hitched a breath as the memory of the rotten smell of the Thames’s water choked her. Swimming through the murky water of the river had been like shoving boulders. Her arms and legs had grown tired quickly because the water was heavy, and the currents had been strong. The smell had almost caused herto faint. To this day, it made her gag. Perhaps coming here had been a mistake.
“Edith.” Perry’s concerned face filled her field of vision. “You’re safe.”
“What?”
“You were shivering.” He caressed her shoulder.
“You know, rabid dogs suffer from hydrophobia, fear of the water.” She focused on the limpid blue of his irises. “I hate the water now. I’m scared of even taking a bath. I’ve been taking only showers for these past years. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”
He gave her a rueful smile. “You’re talking with a man who doesn’t want to see people.”
“But you have a good reason.”
“So have you. I’m not fond of rivers myself.”
Edith focused on a pretty sparrow singing from a tree branch, not to be troubled by the Serpentine. “Marianne had the same problem. She too couldn’t stand the sight of a lake, sea, river, or swimming pool. But she practised every day. She started with small bowls of water where she would sink her foot. Then she used larger containers. It took her a year to take a bath. She has almost overcome her fear of the water altogether.”
“Why didn’t you try it as well?”
She shook her head, remembering those days when Marianne had wanted to convince her to try. “I was tired of feeling pain or being scared. I didn’t care about torturing myself with gruesome exercises. Sometimes, Marianne would cry and shiver when she forced herself to sink into the water. Mother held her hand, crying too and encouraging her. Marianne would become ill, so difficult the contact with the water was for her. Once, she fainted. Another time, she didn’t sleep for days or eat anything. It was awful to watch. I didn’t want to go through that. I’m not as brave as she is.”
Compassion glowed in his eyes. He caressed her cheek. “I have only sympathy for you. I also trust your strength.”
“Your opinion means a lot to me.”
“You can be everything you want,” he insisted. “Even a doctor.” He froze, catching a breath.
“Perry.” She straightened. “Is it a seizure?”
He shook his head slightly. “Blimey, Edith. A snake has just slid under your skirts.” He barely moved his lips when he spoke.
“Honestly?” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “This stupid trick will never work with me.”
He held her shoulders with a firm grip. “I swear it’s not a trick, and don’t make hasty moves.”
“I wouldn’t have fallen for your silly technique to convince a woman to show you her undergarments years ago. I won’t fall for it now. Besides, you have my very revealing painting at your disposal. You have already seen my legs. Let’s find some baked potatoes. I’m famished.” She started to walk, but he stopped her.
“Don’t move!” He licked his bottom lip, remaining really still. “I swear on my honour. It’s not a trick. I’m going to lift your skirt very slowly and remove the snake if I can.”
