George spun around, his heart dropped as he rushed toward them. His steps faltered when he saw Kelly's pale, lifeless face. He quickly took her into his arms, only to find her body alarmingly cold to the touch.
"How did this happen?" His voice cracked with panic. "Kelly, hold on! Don’t you dare give up!"
George rushed inside and called for the housekeeper to help change Kelly out of her wet clothes.
He turned around to his friend, Ken Murdock, "What happened, Ken?"
Ken was George's confidant and also his closest friend. Obviously, he knew about his relationship with Kelly. He looked at George with a grim face.
"I was passing by the river when I heard Kelly calling for help," Ken explained. "When I got there, she was struggling in the water. I also saw a wooden bucket and a dress near the bank. It seems she went to wash clothes and accidentally fell in."
George’s brows furrowed deeply. "The kitchen has hot water. Why on earth would she wash clothes in the river on such a freezing day?"
Ken sighed, but his gaze was piercing toward George. "George, I hate to say this, but why is Kelly doing chores at all? Doesn’t your house have servants? To send her out on a day like this ..."