Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 555 by Angharad

After a quick preparation in the makeup room, where essentially all she did was powder me to stop reflection from the lights, I was taken to the studio where I was seated just off camera.

The programme started, “Today in the South, this is John Highland and Lisa Buckingham.” The camera cut to Lisa.

“Yesterday in Portsmouth, a lady was out walking her dog, when the dog jumped or fell into the river, which was swollen and flowing very fast because of the recent weather, an inch of rain fell a day or so ago and the remnants of the snow made the rivers all very dangerous, with flooding in a number of areas. The Environment Agency issued several flood alerts for the area.

“When the dog seemed to be sucked under by the fast current, the owner tried to pull it out, however she overbalanced and fell in herself. She was seen by a young mother out with her two children and their own dog.

“The lady was indeed a lady, Lady Ellen Townsend, wife of the media tycoon, Sir Malcolm Townsend. The young mum who saved her, is Cathy Watts, who is with us in the studio.

“Cathy, describe what you saw and how you reacted.”

I gulped and dry mouthed said, “One of my kids saw the lady leaning over the water and pointed, as she did we both saw her fall into the river. We were standing on a bridge and although she was about a hundred yards upstream, I was worried that she could be smashed against the buttresses of the bridge.

“I called 999 and asked for help, then decided I had to try and do something myself.”

“You surely didn’t think of jumping in to help?”

“No that would have been suicidal, I don’t swim that strongly and I’d have drowned as well. No, I took the dog’s lead off her and threw it out to the drowning lady.”

“How long is the lead?”

“It’s one of those retractable ones and about fifty feet long.”

“Go on,” urged Lisa.

“I threw the handle end to Mrs Townsend, although I didn’t who it was then and dragged it past her, she somehow grabbed it and wrapped it around her arm.

“I knew it wouldn’t be strong enough to pull her out, so I just tried to keep her from being bashed against the bridge, and managed to tow her to the bank.”

“So you held her against the bank until the emergency services arrived?”

“Yes, I wasn’t strong enough to haul her out myself, so I had to take the risk that she might drown, but I couldn’t risk falling in myself, and the bank is very slippery with the mud and wet grass.”

“Absolutely, so what happened next?”

“A few moments later the fire brigade arrived and they used ladders to get down to her, then they hauled her out and the ambulance arrived.”

“We spoke to the fire crew who did the rescue, at the scene, the river was still very high.”

They cut to a clip of the three firemen standing by the bridge, they described what they did and the marks were still on the bank, including the ones where I nearly fell in myself.

“Cathy Watts, you’re a heroine, girl. You saved that lady’s life by your quick thinking and prompt action. We salute you.” The three firemen took a deep bow and I blushed. It cut back to Lisa.

“Your fan club, Cathy.” I blushed again and shrugged. “What do you think now about yesterday?”

“I don’t know, I saw the marks in the mud where I slipped and nearly fell in myself. I don’t know what I think.”

“When did you find out who it was you saved?”

“I didn’t save her, the fire and ambulance crews did that. I just helped them.”

“They think you saved her, but let’s move on, when did you find out who she was?”

“On the way here.”

“Really?”

“Yes, the cabbie bringing me told me of rumours that it was Lady Townsend. I hadn’t heard any until then.”

“You met her husband a few minutes ago, and he agreed to be filmed,” they cut to the film clip which must have been edited faster then the speed of light.

“You must be Cathy, you saved my wife?” Sir Malcolm came into the room and we shook hands. I nodded to his question. “How can I thank you?” He pulled me to him and with tears in his eyes, he hugged me and said, “thank you,” over and over.

“I don’t need thanks, I did what anyone would have done.” I tried to pretend it was an ordinary, everyday event. Unfortunately, it’s becoming that way for me.

“My dear, girl, nine out of ten people wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to do what you did. You are exceptional.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You are, and I owe you my life, without my dear wife, my life would be worthless and not worth living. I am forever in your debt.”

“Sir Malcolm, I release you from your imagined debt. You owe me nothing, just tell her to get well soon from me and my girls.”

He hugged me again and kissed me on the forehead. “Thank you, my angel.”

“As you can see,” said Lisa, “Sir Malcolm Townsend was delighted to meet our local heroine, Cathy Watts, who is a teacher at the university and mother of two little girls. He was right though in one regard, you are extraordinary, aren’t you?”

“I don’t think so,” my heart sank, what were they going to bring up now?

“You helped in trying to save a young man who crashed into a tree a few days before, while he was sledging. Previously, you saved a baby girl who was stuck in a burning car, and a Russian woman who’d been trafficked by a prostitution gang. This isn’t to mention catching a bag snatcher and making a documentary film on European dormice.”

I sat there dying of embarrassment.

“And you don’t think you’re special. I’ve got news for you, Catherine Watts, soon to be Lady Cameron, oh yes, besides all this she’s engaged to Lord Simon Cameron, you are one very special lady, and this programme in conjunction with Sir Malcolm’s media group have nominated you for an award from the Royal Humane Society.”

“Oh shit”, I mumbled beneath my breath, but at least they hadn’t mentioned my op.