Free Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries Page B

the river.
    â€œIt’s all right,” he assured her over and over. “You’re safe. We won’t go anywhere near the water, I swear.”
    Oh, God, what had he done? He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He certainly hadn’t meant to reduce her to this.
    Somewhere in the maelstrom of her fear, his words must have sunk in, for she stopped fighting his embrace. But now she was shaking violently, and that alarmed him. Dropping onto the grassy bank, he dragged her down with him so he could cradle her in his lap, soothe her with strokes of his hands, hold her close.
    It took several moments to halt her tears, and several more to calm her enough so she stopped shaking.
    When he was sure she was more her normal self, he drew back to cup her face in his hands. “Feel better?” he asked softly.
    Her eyes were red and swollen. “Actually, I…feel a bit of a fool.”
    â€œNo need.” Pressing her head to his chest, he stroked her hair. “I’m sorry. I had no idea, or I would never have—”
    â€œI know,” she mumbled into his damp coat. “I see that now.”
    â€œIt was just a stupid surprise. I thought you’d like going out to the island for a picnic.”
    She uttered a harsh laugh. “Little did you know you were setting out with a lunatic.”
    â€œNot a lunatic. But I would like to know why—”
    â€œI go mad at the sight of a boat on the river?” she finished for him.
    Ignoring her self-deprecating tone, he pressed a kiss into her hair. “You used to play in the water with the older children all the time. When did that change? How did it change?”
    â€œIf I tell you, you’ll laugh at me,” she whispered.
    â€œNo.” He settled her more comfortably in his lap. “I promise I won’t.”
    Turning a wary gaze up to him, she searched his face. “And you won’t make me go out on the river?”
    A lump caught in his throat. “No.” He brushed the hair back from her tear-streaked face. “Not if you don’t want.”
    â€œDon’t want?” She tried for a laugh and failed. “I would rather chew needles.”
    He fished out his handkerchief and offered it to her. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes.
    â€œIt happened the winter I was nine, when we still lived near here. There’d been a storm, and the Thames was swollen and very swift. Mama and I were walking beside it when my favorite bonnet flew into it. Before she could react, I rushed in after my bonnet.”
    David could see the fear rising again in her face, though he felt helpless to banish it.
    â€œThe current swept me off. I-I struggled, but I didn’t know how to swim, and the water was so powerful. Our footman dove in after me, but I’d already been carried quite a ways.”
    Her chest rose and fell with her quickening breaths.“For a while it was a near thing. The water was churning, and I went under, dragged down by my wool skirts. The footman lost sight of me—I don’t know for how long. All I remember is the horrible panic of not being able to breathe, of knowing I was about to die.”
    A shudder wracked her, and he rubbed her back, wishing he could do more.
    â€œI must have lost consciousness. When I came to, I was lying on the bank, and my chest hurt from someone pressing against it, forcing the water from my lungs. Mama was bending over me, and the footman’s teeth were chattering from his dunking in the icy waters.”
    Good God, she’d nearly died! His heart stopped just to think of it. “I hope your father rewarded him well for saving your life.”
    She flashed David a wan smile. “The footman retired from service on what Mama gave him alone. Opened a cook shop in Reading, I believe.”
    â€œAnd you’ve been afraid of the river ever since?”
    â€œLakes, rivers…” She swallowed. “The ocean gives me nightmares. I