Page 4 of Hot and Bothered in July
Her vision started to blur and what had turned out to be an exciting, fun-filled day was turning out to be one of horror. While she didn’t wish to die to get out of an unwanted marriage, it appeared that fate had other ideas.
She dared to open her mouth in a last attempt to call for help, but it did nothing except hasten the nightmare that was swiftly starting to descend upon her.
This was it.
The game was over before it had even begun.
Reed saw the tragic occurrence take place and sat up straighter as the woman went careening into the pond. No one else seemed to take notice of the accident—but he had. He sat poised, ready to spring into action, but he waited to see if she could handle herself. She did not seem like a wilting wallflower who stood along the edges of a ballroom, waiting to be rescued. He could sense strength and resilience in her.
And yet, she did not resurface.
Uttering a curse, Reed got up and moved closer to the water’s edge. There, he managed to glimpse the floating outline of a lady’s dress beneath the gentle waves.
She was not moving.
A sense of panic shot through him, the kind that he hadn’t experienced in many years.
He dove into the water and quickly wrapped his arms around her prone form. He hastily climbed the stone steps and laid her upon the bank. By this time, a sense of urgency had rippled through the crowd as spectators close by began to realize what had happened. It would not be the first time that a tragedy had struck the pool, over time gaining it the pseudonym of thePerilousPond.
It did not take long before a crowd began to gather around the woman lying still on the grass. She was not breathing.
Reed removed her sodden, straw bonnet and tossed it carelessly to the side. There was no saving it after this anyway. He moved a few wet strands of hair away from her face and he noticed how remarkably lovely she was up close.
He swiftly put those thoughts aside, however, as he focused on the urgency at hand. “I need a knife!” he shouted.
He rolled her onto her side and ripped her pink dress down to her waist. Another tragedy, but it must be done to prevent a larger one.
Someone offered a dagger in his line of sight and he took it without hesitation. Several onlookers watched collectively as he sliced neatly through her back lacing stays. Once the constriction had been released, she immediately inhaled a large gasp of air and began coughing up mouthfuls of water. Reed didn’t realize he’d been holding his own breath until it finally expelled from his lungs in a relieved exhale, just as the crowd began to applaud his efforts.
“You saved her life!” someone proclaimed.
“A true English hero!” another announced.
The other two women he’d noticed standing with his dark-haired angel rushed over and bent down to inspect their friend. “Sariah!” the blonde said urgently. “Can you hear me?”
“I am not deaf,” she returned evenly. Thankfully, the crowd had begun to disperse now that the excitement was over.
Reed waited patiently for her to regain her surroundings. He was also pleasantly surprised to find that her eyes were a unique amber shade. Very striking, indeed.
As she moved to sit upright, she glanced down and saw that the front of her gown was no longer in place, but around her midsection in a miserable wad of pink. With wide-eyed alarm, she quickly held the front of her ruined stays in place to keep her modesty in check. “Was it necessary to destroy my clothes?” she snapped. “Or not offer me your coat for propriety’s sake?”
It took a moment for Reed to discern that she was addressing him. He should have known she was part of the nobility. That high handed demeanor could belong to no other.
What a pity.
He got to his feet and offered a mocking bow. “Forgive me for inconveniencing you, my lady.” He spread his arms wide. “As faras a jacket, I fear I did not think to grab it when I was saving yourlife.”
She blinked, as if just now comprehending the danger she had faced, but Reed noticed that it did not ease her sharp tongue. “While I do appreciate your assistance, sir, I would like to know how I am supposed to make myself presentable. A lady’s reputation is paramount, if you did not know.”
“And yet,” he drawled, mockery lacing his tone. “You are at a public swimming location without a proper chaperone, are you not?”
Her mouth immediately fell open, yet, no sound emerged—-at first. However, her silence was soon overcome by her anger. With a disgruntled frown she said, “I shall not expect someone of your ruthless male understanding to sympathize with the sort of scrutiny that ladies must endure in society. I can assure you it is much more than you can ever hope to withstand.”
He crossed his arms, still dripping from his recent dip in the pond, which was starting to turn into something of an inconvenience. He never imagined that he would gain a set down for his first heroic act. Perhaps it was a good thing he hadn’t yet decided to completely disregard his disparaging ways. “Then it is a good thing I am not inclined to acquiesce to society’s demands.”
Having stood by through most of the exchange, James and Henry must have decided it was time to intervene to genuinely save the day and attempt to prevent an even worse scandal from erupting from this engaging battle of words. James moved forward tentatively with an offering. “Here is a blanket, my lady.” He draped it over her shoulders as he assisted her to her feet. “I think it might be in your best interests to return home and get into some dry clothes.”
“Thank you,kindsir.” She offered him a winning smile, while shooting a glare back at Reed.
