Drowning In Desire ***COMPLETE***

Chapter 1

 Matthew Weldrick Duke of Harrington was traveling to his country estate. He was glad to get out of the city and away from all the matchmakers. Upon learning of his choice to finally settle down he has been bombarded with invitations to every soiree, gathering and ball within London.

His choice. He chuckled to himself. To be honest he was being forced into the decision by his family. They wanted him to be happy, but his mother wanted grandchildren more. The heir. His offspring will continue the line of Weldrick's as he only has younger sisters. Two to be exact. Both looking for a potential husband. He shuddered thinking of any man taking on his spoiled sisters.

He conceded it was time to hang his hat from bachelorhood and start seriously considering the marriageable women. He chaperoned his sisters to a few balls and learned the hard way that news of a Duke looking for a wife travels fast. Over run by matchmaking mothers and older ladies that feel matchmaking is a profession he ended up hurting a few feelings that night. He spent most of the night in the gardens with a lovely widow. The memory brought a smile to his face.

None of this helped his current predicament. He needed to find someone he could live with. All the eligible ladies were wallflowers with no personality or they were trying to seduce him into compromising them. He needed an heir but he wasn't going to be leg shackled to just any chit. He wanted someone he was attracted to for starts. A woman who could hold a conversation with, someone he could learn to love.

Love. That is a crazy notion. Being a Duke meant he would marry for title and not love. His parents marriage was an arrangement made by their parents. They grew fond of each other but he was unsure if they ever really loved one another. His mother hoped he would have already married someone that she approved of by now. Yet, why would he. A rake and a damn good looking one at that, he had his pick of any woman he pleased. There was no need to settle down just yet. Then his father passed unexpectedly making him the Duke of Harrington and the only male in the family. He knew this day would come he just didn't expect it to be so soon. He thought he had a few more years before he had to find a wife and settle down.

Just then the coach lurched to one side and slowed down. He looked out the window recognizing where they were. They were nearing Mirror Lake as the locals called it for reflecting the woods that skirted most of the lake. The coach was making its way around the lake towards Kentmoor. As they rounded the next bend he noticed a girl fishing on the rocky bank. The woods slowly making it way towards the coach leaving the lake view behind. He continued to watch the girl. She shifted on the rocks, when her footing went out from under her. He heard her scream as she slipped from the rocks and into the lake.

He watched with horror, his stomach clenched. Seconds past as the coach rumbled on. Surely she will emerge from the lake. When she did not show herself on the bank he knew something was wrong. He must save her. He flung the door open and yelled to the coachman to stop. It slowed enough that he leaped out and ran for the lake edge where the girl fell in. He peeled his jacket and shoes as he ran and dove straight into the lake. The impact of the freezing water took his breath away, it was good that he found her only a few feet away. He grabbed her and carried her to the bank depositing her gently down in the grass. He noticed blood on his hand and sleeve of his shirt, worry set in as she didn't respond to him. Leaning in he felt for her breathe. She was breathing! Relief flooded his senses, but she still lay unconscious. She needed a doctor. Lifting her once again in his arms he ran to the coach.

His driver John held his shoes and jacket in his hands as he looked on.

"She needs a doctor!" Matthew yelled to John. He settled into the coach and held her in his arms. John deposited his articles in the opposite bench and hasty climbed back up to the driver's seat. John Lentz his driver grew up in Kentmoor so he had no worries that he would take them straight to the doctor's residence. John slapped the reins and the coach lurched forward throwing Matthew against the seat.