Edits and more edits

I am not a writer who thinks I can write the great American novel the first time I sit down and write.  I know that a lot of editing needs to be done.  But editing is much harder than the original writing.  With the original writing, you just get everything down that's in  your brain.  With the editing, you have to go back over what your wrote and then think to yourself, Why did I ever write that?  And of course you won't ever find an answer for that question.

Today, I finished my fourth edit on my novel, An English Summer.  I am now looking for beta readers who can go over and see what have I missed.  Is my grammar good and does my story flow well.  I certainly hope so.

Here is an exert from my novel:

He barked orders as he looked down the river to get a bearing on Magnolia.  “Joseph, get Sarah away from the edge of that river.  I don’t want her going in, even if it is by accident.  (He glared at Aspen.)  Matthew you keep the rest of the ladies away from the water.  I’m going after Magnolia.”  He did not stop to see if anyone had followed his orders, he just ran even with the river’s edge.  He tried to get ahead of Magnolia.

As Brett Hawk raced down the river’s edge he would at times have to move away from the edge due to foliage.  He yelled at Magnolia, “If you can grab onto anything do so.  Try to keep your head above water.  If you do go below the water hold your breath.”

Magnolia’s first thought was, he thinks I’m stupid.  She already knew to do her best to keep her head above the water, but it was difficult.  She also knew how to swim, but she had never swum before while she wore a corset.  And her shoes were heavy which kept her feet low in the water and her head barely above the water level.  Her dress and several petticoats floated up around her and got in her way as she tried to swim towards the edge.

The water did not cooperate any more than her dress and corsets did.  The current took her away from the water’s edge and more out into the river.  She had hoped for the chance to grab onto a root or fallen branch.  Something she could hang onto and keep her head above water, but there wasn’t anything this far out in the water.