The smile left his face as soon as he saw what she had written.
Oh no, oh no, oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no!
"I never… I never…," she gasped. "It was… only a joke!"
His mouth twitched. "Oh, was it?" he said bitterly.
Flora's heart raged and hammered. She wished she would faint but she did not! No, she had to endure the dreadful shame fully aware!
He was staring at her now, his blue eyes cold. All she could do was stare back. To her absolute terror, she felt another onslaught of verbal incontinence and her lips were about to part when a thunderous voice echoed from the mountains.
"WILL YOU COME BACK, YOU IMPOSSIBLE ANIMAL! THIS IS NOT LAKE LEMAN AND YOU DO NOT KNOW THE WATERS! MR. WIMPLE, YOU ARE NO COMPETENT SWIMMER, RETURN AT ONCE! AH, THERE YOU ARE, MISS PARKER!!! WATCH OUT, MR. WIMPLE WILL WANT TO— "
Flora whirled around. A big, speckled white cannonball came shooting towards her at incredible speed. Two yards away from her, it managed to gain altitude and flung itself into her arms. The impact took Flora off her feet and she was catapulted into the water.
Flora could not tell top from bottom anymore.
Frantically she moved her arms and legs but her dress, now soaked with water, was pulling at her. There was no footing, no air!
Then one of her fingers touched something. Something smooth and curved!
Like the greek statues they have at Seventree! (Flora secretly patted their backsides whenever she visited Gigi at the ducal residence — but that remains between the author and the reader…)
There were most likely no statues in the water here so she held on to whatever it was and pulled herself towards it. She opened her eyes and what she saw through the green haze made her close them again.
That again! Princely indeed!
At least, now she knew where "up" was and she managed to get her head out of the water for an instant before her dress pulled her down once more.
Two strong hands grabbed her and brought her back to the surface.
She put her arms around the Prince's neck quite unashamedly.
To avoid sinking down… What else?
A desperate cry came from the park. "Mr. Wimple! Papa is coming to save you!"
General Cartwright crashed into to water not far away from them and soon re-emerged with the Cartwright's obese basset hound in his arms.
"Now Miss Parker, that was very irresponsible of you, I must scold you," the giant man said through his giant beard. "The poor animal has only recently been introduced to the joys of the aquatic sports."
"I'm very sorry Sir," Flora sputtered, "I had not expected him to run this fast."
"Oh yes!" The General raised the dog's face towards his own and placed a kiss onto the animal's forehead. "He has become quite an athlete now that he is free from his intestinal ailment. He lost over two pounds! These Swiss docteurs are miracle workers, dear Miss Flora. — But what of you, Sir! What gives you the impertinence to stand around here in full undress, strapping the little Miss Parker against you as if she were a monkey?"
"I…" the Prince was obviously at a loss for words.
Flora was not. Sometimes even being a blabbermouth came in handy.
"Please, Sir, may I introduce his Royal Highness, the Archduke of Lombardy."
"Ah! Karlsburg! Now there's a nice looking chap! Good to meet you, Highness, I met your brothers Joseph and Karl, they led a nice regiment back in the days of the old bonny-party! Nice regiment. Excellent horses. Did you know that the regular war horse of the middle ages was a lombard horse? You know, the knight's destriers!"
"This is Baron General Cartwright, her Grace's father," Flora explained.
What's that pressing agains my thigh?
The Prince had some difficulty regaining his composure, Flora noticed.
"Pleasure to meet you, Excellency."
"Are you two engaged?"
"WHAT? NO!" Flora exclaimed and wiggled in protest.
"No, General," the Prince moaned, "our current position is only the result of several unfortunate events and I suggest you alight from the water and have our charges dried."
Why can he not "alight from the water"? Does he want to get away so desperately?
"Water? Indeed!" The General tenderly put Mr. Wimple down at the grassy ridge and smiled at him adoringly, then, like a walrus, he pushed himself out of the water, shook himself and picked the dog back up. "See you at luncheon!"
With a few long strides he was gone.
"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS NOISE?" a new voice thundered and Flora saw Dominic St. Yves rushing through the park towards them. She felt the Prince's muscles tense.
"Beloved cousin." His voice sounded like poison.