Her arms flailed wildly. “Help—” She disappeared beneath the surface once more.

Greyley reached her at just that moment. He dove under water and for an instant, silence once more filled the glen.

Marian sighed, her hands clasped to her chest. “He’s going to rescue her, I just know it. It’s like a fairy tale.”

Desford eyed the water where the earl had just disappeared. He supposed it could be called a rescue. Still—it wasn’t a very deep pool. If Miss Thraxton would just get two feet more to her left, she would be able to stand at ease. Or so Desford hoped. A faint ache throbbed in his throat. Surely Miss Thraxton would be all right…

A hand settled on Desford’s shoulder. He looked up into the gently smiling eyes of Sir Phineas.

“I once played that very trick on my brother, Dickie. Rodgers, our head groom, had to jump in and save him.” He gently squeezed Desford’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about a thing. My Anna’s a strong woman and Greyley has her firmly in hand.”

Desford’s chest tightened even more and he thought for a moment about confessing all. But he had the feeling that he didn’t need to say a word. He was still mulling this over when the water erupted once again and Miss Thraxton appeared once more, this time assisted by the earl. He was trying to hold her aloft, but she struggled mightily, her skirts tangled about her long legs, her red hair streaming about her. “Don’t drop me!” she gasped, clutching him frantically.

“She’s just like a mermaid,” Marian said, her voice awed.

Elizabeth fingered the ribbon that tied her hair. “I wish I had red hair. Long, long red hair. Desford, don’t you think Miss Thraxton’s hair is pretty?”

He shot her a disgusted look. Since Miss Thraxton’s arrival, Elizabeth had become the biggest girl. Not only that, but both Elizabeth and Marian had shown a regretful tendency to join the enemy camp.

Grandmama was right—the sooner they were all rid of the governess’s influence, the better. Still…the comforting warmth of Sir Phineas’s hand made him pause. When Desford really thought about it, he realized that he did not like his grandmother. As much as he wanted to believe her protestations of affection, they rang false.

“Look, Desford!” Marian said, pointing. “Miss Thraxton is trying to climb onto the earl’s shoulders.”

Sure enough, Miss Thraxton had managed to hook her knee over the earl’s shoulder and was even now trying to climb atop his head.

“Oh no!” Elizabeth cried. “She’s pushing him under!”

Before the children’s interested gazes, the two disappeared from sight once more.

Selena sighed sadly. “I suppose we’ll be getting another governess after all.”

Desford snorted, desperate to prove her wrong. “It’ll take more than a little water to get rid of Miss Thraxton.” He found himself leaning against the old man, the faint scent of tobacco making his eyes sting.

“Lord Greyley has Miss Thraxton now!” Marian said excitedly.