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Apparently, both she and Nick had misread the situation, and Teddy did not necessarily need his arded her, adulation bri in his eyes, she feared he was about to proclai to dissuade hi me court--"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand "Mother has objected to every lady I’ve brought around

That is nothing new I am confident she will soon see that you--ashe needs in a daughter-in-law Sohty and capricious of nature to handle Mother’s moods and de wind at her cheeks did not chill her quite so much as his words

Advanced years?

If not stuck in a boat with the dreadful man, she was certain she would find a way to excuse herself As it were, she sat there and listened to Teddy pontificate on how very well suited she was to serve as a daughter-in-law to his esti, but you’re just the sort to dance attendance on her…"

Dance attendance? Did he want a wife or a conation delayed the rest of his words fronation only escalated

"You have such a forbearing and biddable nature I know for certain Mother will grow to appreciate you"

Forbearing? Biddable? Who was he talking about? Certainly not her

Even though no for and deadly noose settle about her neck Unless, that is, she found some way out of this dile it were closer, that she was anywhere but trapped on this boat A the land, one seemed to materialize and separate from the others She identified the black Hessians and buff-colored breeches and knew instantly it was Nick The hard line of his body faced the water, and she kneatched their little boat

She could not help thinking how pleased he would be to learn that Teddy was still very e of a proposal

"Meredith? Are you well?"

Teddy leaned forward in the boat and sent it rocking unsteadily She clutched the sides, sniffing back the ridiculous urge to weep

"Ah," he ly "You are edly fro in horror as Teddy’s eyes drifted shut and his head dipped her way She lurched back fro his puckered lips that she barely registered the increased rollicking of the boat Until it was too late

She siht to avoid his kiss Still, she had no tihtEven without the burdensoht of her dress, she was only a fair swied into the icy water, her open s kicked at the heavy, sucking weight of her skirts She broke the water’s surface for aher naed her back down She sank deep enough for her feet to brush the le of skirts and petticoats, she tried to push off the bottoain no purchase

The burning in her lungs increased to dizzying proportions Her ed Nick With renewed vigor she clawed at the water, deterain She would not die this way

And in that bleak life or death moment, she realized how foolish she had been to consider ed to hih the water in smooth, swift strokes until he reached the boat It floated upside doith an idleness thatpanic Havernautt slapped the lake’s surface, treading water and calling Meredith’s name in frantic tones Nick wasted no ti beneath the water’s surface with one great gulp of air Thankfully, the lake wasn’t that deep, and he was able to eneral sweep of the area beneath the boat His eyes could see nothing in the liht explode from his chest Possibly from lack of air, but he suspectedelse he could not quite narasped material so soft and lissoown He yanked hard and arded the solid feel of her body tu into his aring to the surface He cla a thought to Havernautt, who struggled to cliht

They were swarhed in his ar She lived He broke through the mob and laid her on one of the blankets Aunt Eleanor hovered close, wringing her hands as he rolled Meredith on her side and pounded her back, forcing her to cough up any residue fros

"Where isback in the boat," Lady Derring replied, her snort of disgust undisguised

"Coward," Portiatoothers

Nick felt his telanced out at the lake where Havernautt rowed at crawling pace to shore If he hadn’t been here today, she would have drowned To think he had al but her chest still rose and fell with labored breaths Her bleary eyes blinked up at him fro him

"You need to take her to the house," Aunt Eleanor directed "Her teeth are chattering"

He nodded Without a word, he swept her into his are that had delivered Lady Havernautt to their lakeside picnic The rest of them had walked the short distance from the house