A child was drowning!
Maggie, without a second thought, flung her umbrella aside. Pinching the hem of her gown to enable her to run faster, she raced towards the source of the terrified cry.
Reaching the riverbank, she found a group of despairing women. Adorned in brightly colored traveling dresses and matching bonnets, they stood frozen, their screams echoing off the water. But their cries did nothing to help the little boy, whose small form bobbed precariously on the surface before succumbing to the shallow current.
"Out of my way!!!" Maggie bellowed, startling the women off their boots.
The women tossed out another round of cries when Maggie jumped into the river.
"HELP!" they cried out even louder than before.
"HELP! TWO PEOPLE ARE DROWNING! PLEASE HELP!!!"
The water was chilly but tolerable. It didn't steal her breath or dull her reactions. The current, too, was manageable -- a mere whisper compared to the might of a larger river. Even a novice swimmer could navigate these gentle flows.At that moment, gratitude for her father's swimming lessons washed over Maggie. Never had she been more thankful for his patient teaching.Summoning all her strength, Maggie wrapped an arm around the boy's limp form and hauled him towards the riverbank. Her actions drew attention, and soon a crowd began to gather. Thankfully, this time, it was a crowd of helpers. Several men waded into the water, assisting Maggie in pulling the boy to safety. Others rushed to her aid, helping her out of the river's embrace and offering a coat to ward off the chill.The boy's mother knelt next to the unconscious boy and let out a heartrending cry."William! Oh Lord, William!!!"One of the men started giving heart compressions to the little boy.The crowd held its breath as they waited with pounding hearts. A collective gasp, followed by a round of cheer escaped them as the boy coughed violently, expelling water in a choked spray.A warm wave of relief flooded Maggie, chasing away the chill that clung to her soaked body. After taking a deep breath, she acknowledged in a little murmur, "Well then, my job here is done."When she took off the coat and returned it to its owner, the gentleman gaped at her in confusion."May I please take you home?" he insisted. "Surely you will not go home on your own, drenched from head to toe like that!"Maggie shook her head with a smile."My house is just around the corner," she said, and it wasn't even a lie. "Honestly, I'd be home faster walking than waiting for a carriage."She then waved at the bewildered gentleman, picked up her discarded umbrella, and walked all the way back.The moment Maggie stepped through the door, a storm of sneezes erupted from her. Isla gaped in shock as she looked Maggie up and down several times."My Lady!" she exclaimed. "Did something happen? Did you fall into a pond???""Not a pond, cough... cough... a river.""You fell into a river???"Well, not exactly falling, more like jumping voluntarily. But right now, she was too cold to explain everything in great detail."Please draw me a bath... aah... ahh..."A monstrous sneeze, utterly undignified for a lady of her stature, rocketed from her nose.Maggie thought that her cold symptoms would be gone after one warm bath and a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, London weather had other plans. The skies opened up, unleashing days of relentless downpours. Cloaked in a gray curtain of rain for almost the entire day, the city became a damp, chilly prison, effectively extending Maggie's misery for days.Tucked under a mountain of blankets, with her sniffles muffled by the pillow, Maggie couldn't muster a single ounce of concern for her reputation. The sickness period was, in her opinion, a wonderful time to indulge in self-pity and hot cocoa. She did not have to care the slightest bit about her appearance.She soon learned the hard way that she had to, unfortunately, care."My Lady?" Isla called out softly on the third afternoon."...""My Lady?" Isla raised her voice slightly.Maggie merely grunted in response."My Lady, a certain Mr. Davenport is here to pay you a visit.""..."Heaving herself upright, Maggie peeled her face from the damp pillow, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. A bewildered look flickered across her face as she met Isla's gaze."Now?" she croaked, her voice thick with fatigue."Yes, my Lady," Isla confirmed, a hint of concern in her voice.Maggie groaned, the effort evident in the single sound. "Oh, God," she muttered, sinking back against the pillows for a moment. There was no way she could drag herself out of bed, much less apply a full face of makeup in time to prevent Mr. Davenport from waiting.It was never a good idea to make a gentleman wait.Straightening with a grimace, she finally spoke. "Isla, my apologies. Please tell Mr. Davenport that I am currently indisposed and unable to meet with him. Send him my deepest regrets."Instead of taking her leave, Isla wrung her apron nervously."What's wrong?" Maggie asked dumbly."My Lady, maids are not supposed to send guests away..." "... In that case, please serve Mr. Davenport some tea and cookies while I get myself ready.""Yes, my Lady."Maggie howled into her pillow.Of course. Why did she not think about this tiny little problem? Unlike other noble ladies who had family members to take care of them and kick off unwanted guests at their convenience, she had no one by her side! Here she was, bedridden and miserable, while the outside world, oblivious to her plight, continued to spin. She should have been prepared to handle visitors, even uninvited ones, instead of languishing all day, cut off from the world.To make matters worse, Mr. Davenport was one of the connections she cultivated painstakingly. No way she was going to ruin it.Maggie did everything she could in a limited amount of time to make herself presentable.Once she deemed herself decent enough to face outsiders, she marched into the drawing room. Only to come face-to-face with not only Mr. Davenport but also the Marquess of Canterbury.