Other stupid thoughts filled my head before I
had sense enough to sit up and shake the filthy water
from my hair, then used the sleeve of my shirt to clean
my face of mud. Wild honey bees were attracted,
perhaps by my perfume, or by the bright yellow of a
once pretty blouse.
"Heaven, where are you?" I heard Troy calling
from a distance.
You're too late, Troy Tatterton! I don't want
you now! Still I began to tremble from the effort it
took not to respond. I didn't want him to find me, not
now. Somehow I'd make my way back to that huge,
lonely house, and never again would I disobey Tony
and steal over to his cottage.
So, sitting in the water, I stayed very quiet,
slapping at the insects who idiotically found me
attractive. Endless time passed before he stopped
calling and thrashing about in the woods. The wind
picked up and began to rustle the leaves above. Dark,
stringy clouds converged as they always seemed to do
whenever I was on the verge of finding something
valuable. My rotten luck!
Oh, you bet, I felt so damned sorry for myself, even before the drizzle of rain began, I couldn't stifle
my sobs.
Then a small noise came from behind me, and
an amused voice. "I always wanted to save a maiden
in distress."
My head swiveled around to see Troy about ten
feet away. How long he'd been watching me I couldn't
guess. His riding clothes were snagged in several