Page 2 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
“You can’t do anything for her!Take my hand.We’re running out of time!”
His urgency galvanized Evelina into action, but she had to jump to bridge the growing distance between the hand he held out as he now lay flat upon the upturned compartment which Evelina realized had slid down the embankment and into the river below.
And which was sinking fast.
He was strong.Strong enough to haul her entire body weight the distance needed before he had sufficient purchase to reach out his other hand and drag her through the broken window.
With a mighty heave, he pulled her free from the wreckage just as the carriage, burdened by its own weight and the pull of the river, slid into the water with a deafening splash.
Breathing heavily, Evelina collapsed against a pair of supporting arms and listened to the cries and screams of passengers amidst the turmoil and confusion.
But she was safe.
The thickness of her skirts and bodice had shielded her from the worst of potential injuries, though she saw her left hand was bloodied.Or perhaps it was a head wound, she wondered, as she withdrew her hand from wiping the hair from her eyes.
“Monsieur?”She cast around for her rescuer, her panic at discovering she was alone again, increasing as she registered the carnage.
Not that she could see much until a gust of wind cleared the smoke sufficiently for her to realize that hers was one of two carriages that had derailed and slipped into the river while the front few carriages remained on the track at the top of the embankment.
She was alone again, but alive, and all she needed to do was to negotiate the muddy climb to the top.
If she had the energy.
Evelina sank down upon the metal side of their compartment which separated her from Mimi.She wouldn’t leave her friend, for Mimi had been with her since she’d gone to Switzerland.The young man would have to come back so he could get the older woman out when he’d finished saving other lives.
Her dazed thoughts were running in discombobulated loops before she was roused by the insistent screams of a woman some yards away, she saw, as the smoke once again cleared.
“William!My son William is still inside!”
Evelina sat up sharply.Then, scrunching up her skirts so she could move, she struggled through the mangled metal and mud towards the woman who was kneeling on the upturned carriage, dangling her arm through the gaping window.
“He’s too small to reach!Help me!The water’s rising!”
Evelina stared helplessly into the void.She couldn’t see the child, but she could hear his frightened whimpers.The woman’s cries grew louder in relation to Evelina’s desperation.
“Please, sir!Help me!”
Evelina saw she’d thrust out her arm to grip a checked trouser leg, and she looked up into the face of the young man who had dragged her to safety a few minutes earlier.There was a cut above his eye and a smear of mud on his cheek, but nothing else marred his obvious good looks.
Unless it was the bleakness in his eye which was directed now towards the sound of the young boy in the far depths of the carriage.Even Evelina could see it was hopeless for him to help, for the distance was too great for his seeking arm to help a small child.
Unless—
“Hold me while I reach for him!You’re strong enough!”Evelina burst out, unbuttoning her tight-fitting bodice and unclasping her skirt as she spoke while struggling through the mud and metal towards them.The thick heavy swathes of embellishment slithered over the bustle cage which she untied with trembling fingers, and tossed aside, unembarrassed as she wriggled into a sitting position with the help of the young man who hauled her into position.The glass of the window had completely fallen away, so at least no jagged edges impeded her rescue attempt.
Only the strength and willingness of the young man, but he was already gripping her wrist while she gripped his as he carefully lowered her into the compartment.
The claustrophobic darkness hit Evelina with force and momentarily dashed her bravado as she dangled helplessly into the void, completely dependent upon the strength of her rescuer.“William?”she called.
But when small fingers almost instantly ticked her palm, relief and purpose galvanized her courage once more.“William, take my hand and don’t struggle!”she said, shouting back up to the light, “I’ve got him!Bring me up now!”
The little boy’s eyes were wide with terror as he was drawn into the afternoon haze, before his mother threw herself upon him and Evelina fell back, her strength and courage drained.
“My name’s William, too.”
She blinked open her eyes as her handsome rescuer supported her into a sitting position, his warm, open smile revealing strong while teeth, his dark blue eyes seeming to connect to something deep inside her, causing a flowering sensation to bloom in her heart.
Then he was straightening at a distant cry for help, while a billow of smoke obscured him from view.
