Chapter 1 #2
“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 at Gunter’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 ears had picked 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 Elizabeth was 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!”
“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.