The Virtuous Ward - By Karla Darcy Page 0,60

blinded but realized it was the soggy brim of her hat and with her hands she pushed it away from her eyes. She tried not to panic and struggled to keep her head out of the water. Her skirts hampered her movements but as she thrashed about she discovered that the water was only about a foot deep. She let her body sink until she was sitting on the bottom then turned to the sound of cursing coming from behind her.

Max lay on his stomach in about six inches of water, swearing steadily under his breath. He raised his head and he glared at the barrel still imprisoned in the cheerful red parasol which had grounded on the edge of the bank.

"Damnable creature!" he snarled.

"It wasn't the cat's fault!" Amity shouted in defense of the poor animal. "You were the one who let go of the bushes."

"I did not let go," he answered through gritted teeth. "You were too heavy to hold. You must have gained four stone since your arrival in London."

"What a horrid thing to say, you loathsome man." In her fury, Amity slapped the water with her clenched fist, sending a wave splashing into Max's face.

Amid sputtering and coughing he pushed himself to his hands and knees and launched himself at the girl, catching her up in a bear hug. They rolled over and over in the shallow water like children at play. Amid light-hearted shrieks, they splashed each other until they were both breathless from laughing. Finally, in exhaustion Amity lay gasping in the circle of Max's arms.

"Oh, my adorable Amity," he whispered, staring down into her face.

She had never looked more beautiful, he thought, caught in a spell of wonder. Water ran like tears down her flushed cheeks and her eyes sparkled with mischief. Without conscious thought, he lowered his head, his lips softly covering hers in the tenderest of kisses. He felt her body shiver at the contact but then she sighed in contentment.

Amity enjoyed the feel of Max's lips against her own, reminded again of Bancroft's sweet salutation. Then his mouth shifted and there was a new urgency to his embrace. His lips sucked at hers, demanding a response, and they parted beneath the pressure. The touch of his tongue jolted her with a sweep of sensations that threatened to engulf her. Her heart pounded in her ears and she tightened her grasp around his shoulders as her stomach fluttered with the sensation of falling. Her body rippled with waves of excitement and she moaned at the sheer ecstasy of the moment.

The sound echoed across the water and Amity was stunned into a realization of the impropriety of her actions. She pushed against Max's chest and his arms released her as if he too was aware of his improper behavior.

"Forgive me, Amity," he whispered.

Amity refused to think about the emotions Max's kiss had raised in her breast. She knew she had behaved immodestly in accepting his embrace and now only wanted to break the awkwardness that would ensue if she gave in to any missish sentiments.

"Please, Max," she reached out to place her hand on his chest. "It was the joy of the moment. A kiss between friends. We are friends, are we not?" she asked.

"We are indeed, my dear." Max felt doubly guilty under the lightness of her tone. It was apparent she wished to restore their relationship and he could only applaud her actions. There would be time later to analyze what had occurred but for now he must put the episode behind him. He lifted her hand from his chest and kissed it with clownish enthusiasm, earning a shaky giggle for his playacting. "Come, my bedraggled mermaid. It is time to seek dry land."

He struggled to his feet then extended a hand to help her out of the water. They scrambled up the bank, standing dripping on the bank. Max looked her up and down and amusement erased his feeling of embarrassment. He began to chuckle and, at the outraged dignity on Amity's face, threw his head back in great yelps of laughter. Amity looked down at herself and groaned in dismay. The once white dress was now stained with mud and there were places where the red ribbons had bled onto the white material. Ignoring his amusement, she pulled the parasol out of the water and dumped the barrel on dry land. Then she turned to face Max and spun the sunshade, enveloping him in a fine mist of