and pulling him to a stop. “You can’t. He’s right.”
“Let me go!” Will hissed, fighting James. “He’ll drown!”
“Just wait, damn you. If the crack gets worse, we could all go, and there will be no one to save him then.”
They had to trust Gabe.
William froze, his hands fisted at his sides, his gaze pinned to that ice. I knew he was fighting his instincts to save his child. Lillian fell into him, barely controlling her sobs. I tore my gaze from them. Their sorrow was painful to see.
Gabe shoved his arms into the icy water, but he found nothing. My heart dropped. Ben wasn’t coming up for air. Gabe looked back at me. It was a quick glance, but a telling glance. I knew what he was going to do before the others. I bit my lower lip, squeezing Caro closer.
Without pause, Gabe slid into the water. I sucked in a sharp breath. Vaguely, I was aware of Lillian crying, of William and James slowly skating toward that hole in the ice. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe. Jules raced across the ice, finding Lillian, and holding her. The whole world seemed to pause as we clung together. No one spoke a word. Not even the birds chirped.
He wasn’t surfacing. How much time had gone by? It could only have been a few seconds, but it seemed like hours. Caro whimpered again. “I shouldn’t have raced him.”
“Shhh,” I whispered. “It’s not your fault, sweetling.”
Damn this world for drawing me in, making me believe I could have a life of peace and love and happiness; not the misbegotten dreariness of the slums. But pain was everywhere; you could not run from death, destruction, no matter how many titles, how much money.
“Gabe,” I whispered.
As if I had the power to call to him, suddenly, Gabe surged up through the water, Ben in his arms. His blond hair was flattened to his skull, his shirt clinging to his shoulders. Ben looked just as miserable, gasping and coughing for air. Lillian cried out with hope.
“Oh thank God,” I whispered, kissing the top of Caro’s head.
With as much strength as he could muster, Gabe pushed the boy out of the water and across the ice. William grabbed Ben, dragging him back toward shore. My knees went weak. If I hadn’t been holding onto Caro, I would have collapsed to the ice and snow. Good lord, miracles did happen.
Caro tore away and raced toward the shore, meeting her mother, father and Ben. Gabe was doing his best to pull himself from the water, but it was obvious the cold temperature was slowing his movements, sapping his strength. He needed help. Why was no one helping him?”
I started forward.
“Ginny, no!” Gabe snapped. “Don’t come any closer.”
Strong arms suddenly clamped around me. James. Damn him. “Let me go!” I screamed, struggling in his tight grasp. “Or help him!”
James pushed me toward shore. “Stay back.”
He raced across the ice toward Gabe. “No one come near! More weight, and it might crack. Everyone get to shore.”
Jules was suddenly at my side, her arms wrapping around my waist, her wide eyes pinned to James. Gabe looked pale. Almost blue. My breath held. He was dying. Slowly freezing to death. If he didn’t get out of that water soon…
James dropped to his belly and slid toward Gabe. “Grab hold!”
Their hands clasped. My knees went weak, and I sank into Jules. With a grunt, James pulled Gabe out of the water and across the ice. It seemed painstakingly slow. Gabe’s eyes were screwed shut, his teeth clattering. And I realized, in that moment, that he wasn’t safe just yet. He could get ill…die.
“Get them home!” James demanded, hauling Gabe to his feet.
William had carried Ben to a sled, and raced back with a blanket. Gabe was rushed by me, and all I could do was stand there, frozen on the shore. Jules left my side to toss Gabe’s coat over his shoulders. Everyone was helping, leaving, and I couldn’t move; I could only stand there and watch it all…numb.
“Ginny.” Julianna’s voice startled me. “Are you well?”
“I know,” I whispered, watching the sleigh carrying Ben and Gabe dart toward home. “I finally understand.”
“My dear,” she said, wrapping her arm around my waist. “We need to get you inside. Come.”
I tripped beside her. My legs didn’t seem to work for some reason. “No, you don’t understand…I know.”
“Know what?”
“Lillian.” The rest of the family was loading into the other sled, anxious to