Page 197 of The Governess of My Heart
“Why is no one coming? It is all your fault,” she cried in fear.
Elizabeth spotted an old glass window behind some boxes at the end of the shed and hurriedly removed them. She struggled to open it as the hinges were rusty.
With every passing second, the flames spread faster, and smoke engulfed the shed.
Elizabeth prayed that someone would come for help and tried to break the window open with a metal rod she found. Lady Anderson was unable to do anything as she was about to faint because of the smoke and collapsed to the floor.
“Lady Anderson, look at me; we will get out of here alive. I am trying my best to break this window. I promise we will get out of here,” she cried.
“I cannot breathe,” she said feebly, barely able to open her eyes.
Elizabeth took the rod again and hit the glass window with all her strength, and it cracked. She struck it a couple of times again, and it broke.
“Hurry, we need to leave,” she cried and helped Lady Anderson stand.
“Here, stand on this box, and you can reach the window,” she said, almost dragging Lady Anderson to the window.
“You want me to leave first?” Lady Anderson asked wide-eyed.
“Yes, do not waste time; hurry,” Elizabeth cried as the flames were very close.
She helped Lady Anderson climb out, and suddenly, one of the wooden planks on the roof caught fire and collapsed right next to Elizabeth; as much as she tried, she could not stand any longer as the smoke filled her lungs, and she fainted.
The moment Lady Anderson escaped, she looked behind and was horrified when Elizabeth did not follow her out.
She tried to look into the shed but could not spot her inside.
“Elizabeth, where are you? Can you hear me? Please climb out; what happened?” she cried in fear.
Suddenly, she heard someone behind her, and it was her husband.
“Good Lord! Augusta, are you hurt? Where is Elizabeth?” he asked in horror.
Other servants had gathered to control the fire.
“She helped me escape through that window, and I thought she would climb out, but I cannot see her. Help her, please!” she cried.
Lord Anderson immediately climbed in. Thewhole shed was filled with smoke,andhe could barely see anything. In panic, hecalled out to Elizabeth. He finally saw her lying on the floor, unconscious and very close to the burning plank.
No! I will not allow anything to happen to you.
“Elizabeth, open your eyes; I am here. I promise to get you out of here,” he cried beside her, but to his horror, she never opened her eyes.
He called out to his men to break open the door, and they did. He covered her with her coat, took his chance, carried her through the flames as quickly as possible, and escaped.
“Mark, what happened to her? Good Lord!” Lady Anderson cried.
“Elizabeth, I beg you; please wake up,” Lord Anderson begged as he dabbed her face with water, but there was no word from her.
“Send for the doctor, now!” Lord Anderson cried as he carried her indoors.
Lady Anderson stood rooted to the spot, unable to believe what had happened.
She saved my life!
***
His heart had almost stopped when he received a note from Ashton Park stating that Elizabeth was unwell.
