He had not had much of a plan when he left the house, other than to urge the duchess to call off the expedition.
He was too late for that, they were already in the water.
So now what?
He spotted the duchess’ carriage. And that infernal lady’s maid, Bemmy, hanging out a window.
He strode over to her. “How long have they been in the water?” he asked abruptly, though he had no idea what he would do with the information.
Bemmy looked him over with that saucy air she had and said, “Just a quarter hour now. Was you worried?”
“Any rational person would be and I’ll thank you not to question me,” Richard said sternly. She really was the most confounded creature.
He looked back to sea. Miss Upton was waving at them with both arms. She was waving for help. Did not Mrs. Gunn see that she was in distress? No, she did not, she was gabbing away with the duchess while Miss Upton was yards away and seemed to be drifting further out.
Bemmy leaned further out the coach window and waved back to Miss Upton.
“For God’s sake,” Richard said, “she is not waving hello, a person waving in the water is in distress!”
“What?” Bemmy cried, throwing the carriage door open and almost knocking him over with it.
The coachman stood up on his perch and shaded his eyes from the rain. The footmen stood on the side rails to get a better view.
Richard threw off his coat. If Mrs. Gunn was not prepared to assist, he’d do it himself. If Miss Upton went under in those high seas she would never be seen again.
How careless of them all! Miss Upton would be weakened from her recent illness, an illness he had himself caused. She’d likely never been in the sea. What a day to tax her with it. It was too much for her constitution. They all should have known it.
He raced down the beach and into the water, throwing himself under a breaking wave. Coming up on the other side, he swam toward Miss Upton.
She lay on her back, no doubt trying to regain her strength though she was surely exhausted. He would have to keep her on her back and tow her in until he could stand and carry her out.
Mrs. Gunn was the first to spot him as he approached closer. “What in the Lord’s good name are you about, swimmin’ out here in your clothes? Young gentleman, you ain’t thinking of doin’ away with yourself now, are you?”
“Do not be ridiculous!” Richard shouted. “Can you not see that Miss Upton is in distress?”
Miss Upton herself was no longer lying on her back but treading water. “My lord?” she said.
Suddenly, she did not look in distress. Shedidlook decidedly confused.
“You were waving both your arms,” Richard said accusingly. “Any sailor knows that a person needing assistance waves both their arms.”
“No they don’t,” Mrs. Gunn said, riding up a swell with a look of supreme authority, “they don’t got the strength for it. The drowning generally go down all quiet-like.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Gunn,” Richard said heatedly, kicking hard underwater to keep himself afloat as his clothes worked to drag him down, “but while you were talking to the duchess you had not Miss Upton in view and she was signaling distress to the shore.”
“I waved hello to Bemmy,” Miss Upton said. It was said quietly and barely heard above the waves and the rain drops. She disappeared down a swell and then reappeared on the top of another.
She waved hello? She waved her arms like a drowning person…to say hello? Of all the—Richard felt his box unlock of its own accord and his temper burst out like the scudding grey clouds overhead.
“That is it! Absolutelyit,” Richard shouted, pounding the water with a fist. “All of you, out of the water right now. This insane scheme has ended!”
“Goodness, Lord Bertridge,” the duchess said soothingly as she crested a swell, “if you feel that strongly about it, I dare say we will. I am beginning to get chilled, in any event.”
“Proceed then,” Richard said. “I will follow and make sure everyone has safely exited.”
To his relief, they all did as they were told. Though, Mrs. Gunn just barely contained her laughter.
Miss Upton was waving hello to her maid. Who waved to their maid while swimming? How was he to know she was waving to her maid and not drowning?
