Linda was down on one knee in the mud. “Marissa, honey, are you okay? That was quite a fall.”

“I think I’m oh . . . oh . . . no no no.” She rolled over and her left ankle protested. “Dang it, I think I’ve twisted something.”

Linda gingerly touched the rapidly swelling skin. “You’ve definitely done something. Let’s get you into my car.”

“Mine’s closer.”

“Mine’s a rental and you’re covered with mud.”

“Good point.”

Linda lifted her easily onto one foot, then before Marissa could protest, all the way into her arms.

She sniffed. “Just don’t go thinking this is how it is. You Financier, me Ginger needing rescuing.”

Linda was making good time along the path. “Fair enough. I’ll rescue you just this once, then.”

“Well, there was the cliff.”

“You did that yourself.”

“You helped. This isn’t what I had planned.”

There was a rumble in Linda’s chest that Marissa knew full well was a laugh. “I can’t say the same.”

“I hope I can walk by tonight.”

“Do you have a date or something?”

“Yes, I do. A very important one. Reservations made months ago.”

“Well, milady.” Linda set Marissa down next to the sedan as if she was a porcelain doll. She wasn’t even breathing hard, not that Marissa could tell.

Marissa wiped rain out of her eyes and her hand came away covered in muck. She had to hop to keep her balance as Linda found her keys. “Yes, good sir knight?”

“If necessary, I will carry you on a pillow to your assignation.”

“It’s not an assignation.” Linda got the door open and Marissa gratefully sank into the passenger seat. “It’s Philip’s sixtieth birthday.”

Leaning out into the rain to examine her ankle in the somewhat better light outside the car, Marissa prodded and winced.

Linda opined, “Just a sprain. If you ice it now and wrap it, you might be able to hobble. Shall I take you home?”

“My car.”

“Can someone come and get it?”

Marissa reached into her sodden handbag. With some careful adjustments she was able to swing her legs inside and allow Linda to shut the door. Her cell phone chirped that it had found the signal. “Mom? Where are you? I’ve twisted my ankle.”

“I was just running an errand in Danville. What do you need?”

“I’m at the Osage Rose Garden. Maybe you could drive my car home and Linda could bring you back for yours?”

“Oh, you’re with Linda.”

“Yeah. I slipped in some mud.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Too late Marissa realized this was perhaps not the best of plans. “If it’s too big a bother—”

“Oh, I assure you, it’s no bother at all.” Her mother hung up before Marissa could say another word.

“Sorry,” she said as Linda eased into the driver’s seat.

“What for?”

“Mud all over that gorgeous blouse and my mother is on the way.”

“Oh. Huh. Your mom.”

“She’s changed a bit. We’re getting along better. It helps that we listen more. She’s, um, eager to meet you.”