Marrying A Millionaire. Laura Martin

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СКАЧАТЬ and she watched as he fell, sliding down the bank with a whoosh and ending up in the water. Cathy ran faster, aware out of the corner of her eye of other movement from the far side of the green.

      He was crying when she got to him. He had managed to get to his feet, but he was standing in about six inches of water and looking very miserable and frightened. ‘Robbie!’ Cathy held out her hand and tried to sound calm, despite her thudding heart. ‘Come on. Take my hand.’

      ‘I can’t!’

      ‘I’m not cross with you.’ She very carefully placed her feet at the edge of the water. ‘Come on, sweetheart.’ He was sinking. Cathy stared in horror as the top of his wellington boots began to let in water. ‘Robbie, stay still!’ she instructed. ‘I’m coming to get you!’

      Cathy stepped in. The water was cold and sludgy, but she didn’t care. She stretched forward and lifted Robbie out of the pond. It was a struggle, and for one awful moment, she thought she was going to fall, but after a distinctly wobbly moment she managed it.

      ‘Sandra, will you take him from me? I think I’m stuck now.’ Cathy held Robbie out towards Sandra, who was standing at the edge of the bank. ‘Sandra?’ she repeated, feeling the ache in her muscles as she struggled to hold Robbie clear of the water and keep herself in an upright position.

      ‘I don’t think I can reach.’ Sandra made a tiny movement and gingerly ventured near to the water. ‘My boots…’ she murmured. ‘They’re brand-new. Can’t you come a bit closer?’

      ‘No!’ Cathy inhaled a breath. ‘For goodness’ sake—!’

      ‘It’s OK. I’ll take him from you.’

      Cathy glanced to her right and saw the man from the previous evening. Oblivious of the fact that his boots were ankle-deep in mud, he took Robbie from her aching grasp.

      ‘Oh, thank you!’ Cathy had never felt so relieved to see someone take her son from her. Her arms were aching madly, and, as she had suspected, she was now stuck fast.

      ‘Wait a moment and I’ll come back for you.’ The man set a tearful Robbie down on the path and ruffled his hair. ‘Don’t cry,’ he told him gently. ‘You’re out now.’

      ‘But what about Mummy—?’

      Cathy frowned as Robbie began to cry in earnest. ‘I’m all right, darling!’ she called. ‘Just a bit stuck, that’s all.’ She tried to look cheerful, wondering at the same time how in the world they had managed to get themselves in such a pickle.

      ‘Can you move at all?’

      Cathy struggled to lift a leg. ‘No,’ she replied flatly. A crowd had begun to gather now. Cathy had never felt more ridiculous in the whole of her life. She looked across at Robbie and managed a cheerful smile, which she hoped masked some of the embarrassment she was feeling.

      ‘Don’t cry, champ!’ The man crouched down in front of Robbie, who was becoming more and more upset. ‘Mummy will be out in a flash.’

      ‘You’re going to ruin your clothes,’ Cathy warned, feeling incredibly foolish as her rescuer began wading out towards her.

      ‘They’ll wash,’ he responded, with a reassuring smile. ‘Don’t worry about it. Now take my hand…’

      He had a long reach, and a sureness of foot that Cathy wished she possessed. She placed her hand in his, felt the strength of his fingers as they closed around hers and in a moment she was free and being hauled away from the muddy water.

      He really was akin to a knight in shining armour, Cathy thought afterwards, when she and Robbie were safely standing on dry land again. Twice now he had come to her aid…

      ‘OK now?’

      He had the most glorious smile. Cathy inhaled a ragged breath and nodded. ‘Yes. Thank you. Thank you very much,’ she repeated. ‘I don’t know what we would have done without you. I’m so sorry we’ve put you to this much trouble. What with getting so wet last night and now this…’ She glanced down at his sodden boots and mud-splattered denims. ‘You have ruined your clothes,’ she murmured. ‘I’m so sorry—’

      ‘There really is no need to keep apologising. Think nothing of it. I’m glad I was around to be of assistance.’ Cathy looked into his face and felt a sharp, delicious pang as his eyes sparkled good-humouredly. ‘It’s certainly livened up this Saturday morning, and one thing is for sure: you won’t forget your first morning in Langforde.’

      Cathy grew warm beneath her striped clown jumper. He was so handsome: dark, dark eyes, long spiky lashes, an angular jaw, and a mouth that revealed so much good humour it made her want to smile just looking at him.

      He was dressed perfectly too. Definitely an outdoor type, Cathy thought: rugged and strong-looking, clad in the denims and a worn leather jacket with a plaid scarf wrapped casually around his neck.

      ‘Do you two know each other?’ Sandra, who had been looking disgruntled by the whole episode, piped up suddenly.

      ‘Yes. Well, sort of…’ Cathy smiled brightly, conscious of the flush of heat still rising from her neck.

      ‘I helped Cathy and her friend move a few things into her cottage.’

      ‘Oh! I see.’ There was a pause whilst Sandra assimilated this information.

      ‘Well, Robbie and I had better be getting back!’ Cathy announced. ‘Oh!’ She glanced over towards the village shop. ‘My shopping.’

      ‘I’ll get that for you.’ Sandra, clearly feeling the need to show she wasn’t totally useless, hurried over towards Cathy’s things.

      ‘Well!’ Cathy looked up into wonderful dark eyes and struggled to think of something vaguely sensible to say. ‘Robbie seems none the worse for his adventure!’ She looked down at her son, who had stopped crying and was now standing in his muddy socks, tipping the water out of his wellington boots. ‘I don’t know your name,’ she added suddenly. ‘I’m Cathy,’ she said hurriedly, conscious that she had spoken without thinking, ‘and this is Robbie.’

      ‘Daniel.’ His gaze was steady and direct. He held out his hand and smiled. ‘Very pleased to meet you.’

      ‘Likewise.’ Cathy shook his outstretched hand. His grip was firm and reassuring, and managed to do strange things to her insides. His voice, she thought. That was another thing which just made her want to melt. She glanced across at Sandra and saw that she was approaching with her shopping. ‘She’s very attractive, isn’t she?’

      He looked briefly. ‘Yes. Very.’

      Why had she said that? Talk about emphasising the differences between them! Cathy speculated on her own ragged appearance and cursed silently. Was she mad?

      ‘Thanks!’ Cathy took the shopping from Sandra and checked inside the bags to make sure her purse was still there. It had all the money she possessed in the world, which wasn’t much, but if she lost that…The words ‘destitute’ and ‘disaster’ sprang to mind.

      ‘I’ll walk back with you.’

      ‘Oh, surely there’s no need for that!’ Sandra’s СКАЧАТЬ