She heard shouting and turned to see the suspicious man struggling toward her as swiftly as possible, slowed down by a pronounced limp. Pepper chased after him, barking and snapping at his heels but never getting close enough to bite. Pepper was probably waiting to see what the man would do before passing judgment and clamping his teeth onto his leg.
Ada tightened both hands around the vertical pole. Her right leg dangled in the air, and her hem was caught on the pole over her head, which meant that the front of her dress was up around her ears. The good news was that it was a cold day, and she'd worn a pair of sweatpants under her dress to keep her legs warm. She'd never been more grateful for chilly weather in her whole life.
"Are you okay? How can I help?" Sneaky Man had finally reached the bottom of the irrigation system leg, his hands stretching into the air, a mildly curious look on his face. Pepper redirected his barks at Ada, who obviously looked like she needed more encouragement than the stranger standing on solid ground.
Ada had to admit Sneaky Man looked more concerned than menacing, but she wasn't ready to forgive him for startling her. "Do you often creep around other people's property spying on their personal business?"
His left eye twitched slightly. "Do you want help getting down?"
"Nae, denki. I'm perfectly capable." She wasn't that far from the ground, and she certainly didn't want more humiliation heaped on her head.
Sneaky Man frowned, pinned her with a skeptical look, and lowered his arms. "For sure and certain you are perfectly capable," he said, though it was obvious he didn't believe it for a second.
With one arm hooked around the pole, Ada yanked at her skirt, but it didn't budge. She wasn't quite sure what it was caught on, but she couldn't pull it loose. She'd either have to climb back up and work the fabric off whatever it was stuck on or take her dress off and leave it behind.
Climb back up it was.
"Here, look," he said, the slightest tinge of irritation in his voice. "Just let me help you. You're bleeding, and I don't want to be responsible if you fall backward and get a severe head injury."
"I release you of any responsibility."
"Now you're just being stubborn."
"Now you're just making a pest of yourself," Ada said. Nothing made her blood boil like a man who couldn't take a hint. Would Pepper bite him if she told him to?
She braced both feet on the pole beneath her then grabbed the pole above her head. Even though her shin stung something wonderful, she pulled herself to standing. Sneaky Man was right. She was bleeding. She felt the blood trickle down her leg and into her shoe.
"Don't worry," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm. "I'll stand right here to catch you when you fall."
She glanced back at him. "Oh, ye of little faith."
"Oh, ye of great pigheadedness."
Ada glared at him. "Isn't that just like a man. You can't make me do what you want so you attack my character."
He didn't back off like she'd expected him to. "Isn't it just like a woman. You're angry so you refuse to listen to common sense."
Ada pressed her lips tightly together. She wasn't used to being rebuked like that. Sneaky Man was bold, disrespectful, and wildly aggravating. But it was kind of exhilarating trying to put him in his place. Their conversation had been anything but boring.
Ada's dress was caught on the bolt that held one of the leg poles in place, with a tear several inches long parallel to the hemline. She wasn't happy about the rip, but her dress had probably stopped her from falling to the ground. She worked the frayed fabric away from the bolt, smoothed down her dress so it again fell nearly to her ankles, and gingerly lowered herself to the ground. Sneaky Man stepped back to give her room. He really had been standing too close, ready to catch her if she fell. And he accused her of being stubborn!
He didn't congratulate her for saving herself. She hadn't expected him to. No doubt he was irritated that she hadn't let him rescue her or that she had been right and he had been wrong.
