Page 78 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
Arabella needed to find him. She stood and began to walk to the door. “I need to find Henry. I can’t just sit here doing nothing,” she informed her friends. Uncle Joseph and Mr Dawkins had already gone to join the search.
Nathaniel arrived with Emma, who rushed to Arabella, looking surprisingly calm in this crisis. “Nathaniel thinks he might know where Henry has gone,” Emma told her.
“Well, I'd say it’s a strong possibility,” uttered Nathaniel. He looked intently at Arabella. “I’m not going to be just the vicarhere. I’m also your friend. I know we will find Henry very soon. Come with me now, and I’ll explain on the way.”
As they raced through the garden towards the path to the lake, Nathaniel relayed a conversation he’d had with Henry earlier. “We were gathering specimens of water weed in jars, the sun was shining, and the view out to Avalon Island was spectacular. Henry loved how the lake surface glimmered in the golden light.”
“You think he might be there?” asked Arabella, the hope raising her spirits.
“He asked me how difficult it was to make a place to live,” continued Nathaniel. “He’d heard the Duke of Montbury talking about building a den on the island. What’s important is he told me there was nowhere he would rather live.”
“I can imagine him saying that,” Arabella said, managing to laugh despite her fears.
“He’s a little boy, so we need to think in the same way that he would, and I believe he would go back to that special place,” Nathaniel said with a surety that Arabella did not feel.
“Where was it exactly on the lake?” asked Arabella.
“Over at the far side, and it isn’t the easiest part of the lake to access,” Nathaniel told her. “We went there by boat, and therelooked to be a path through, but brambles had spread across and blocked it.”
They came across Robert and Mickle, the spaniel pulling Robert towards the lake. “I believe he might have a scent and is tracking Henry,” Robert said as he hung on tightly to Mickle’s lead.
“It fits with Nathaniel’s theory about where he might have gone,” gasped Arabella, almost running, her dark hair loose of its pins, flying out behind her.
A loud barking began ahead of them, somewhere near the lakeshore. It sounds like Dash, she thought, hoping against hope that they had found Henry.
Robert let go of her lead, allowing Mickle to race off towards the lake, and a minute later, she began barking excitedly, along with Dash.
They’ve found him. “Henry,” she called frantically. “Henry.”
No answering call. Fear gripped her as she knew he must be hurt. They had arrived too late.
“He’s been here,” shouted Nathaniel. “Dash is here, and his notebook and a blanket are on the ground.”
As she reached the lake, Robert had already pulled off his boots and frock coat and jumped down into the lake. “Nathaniel, come over here. I think he’s been making his way along the lakeshore. The brambles are like a thicket so it can’t be easy going.”
“Henry,” the duke called.
Nathaniel climbed down the bank after him, making his way towards Robert. “Your Grace, over there. Can you see a shape at the side of the water, clinging to a willow branch?”
“It’s Henry,” cried Robert. “Just a second or two, and I’ll have reached him. Henry, hold tight; we’re nearly there. Hold tight to that branch.”
A loud splash broke the silence, and Arabella fell to her knees with a keening cry. ”Henry …”
“Emma, you stay with Arabella,” said Elinor, who had appeared on the scene. “I’m going to the water’s edge. As an army wife, I have skills in giving aid to the wounded. I may be of some help.”
Emma kneeled beside Arabella, supporting her with her arms, while Elinor went to the water’s edge.
Robert emerged from the lake, carrying what looked like a limp Henry in his arms. Dash raced up and began licking the boy’s hand as Robert laid him gently on the grass.
“He was only under the water for a second or two. Less than a minute. I think he is in shock,” Robert told them.
“Roll him on his side and open his mouth,” Elinor instructed. As Robert did so, Elinor felt for a heartbeat and put her ear near his face to listen for breathing.
“I’m going to try something,” Robert said urgently, moving the lifeless Henry onto his back. He used his fingers to pinch the boy’s nose closed and, bending down to cover his lips on the child’s, blew air gently into his mouth and massaged his chest very gently.
Elinor watched closely. “He’s breathing,” she said with relief. “I can see his chest rising. Now put him on his side as he may need to vomit, and it will be safer.”
“Arabella, Emma, I think he’s going to live,” Elinor said, turning to them. “He’s breathing strongly, and he’s beginning to come round.”
