Page 44 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
“Of course I can,” Marion boasted.“If I knew the way back, you’d be the one having to try to stay with me, and Idaresay you’d fail.”
“Oh, a challenge!” Bridgette saidwith a laugh, and then, without warning, she turned sharply and took off downthe hill. Marion burst into action after her.
It didn’t take long to realize whata hazard the dark was. Marion nearly lost her footing several times when shetripped on rocks and fallen branches, and more than once,atree limb scrapedher cheek when she failed to see it inher path and bat it away. After a few minutes of racing across the craggyterrain, her breaths were coming in gasps and there was a sharp stabbing painin her right side. But she refused to slow down and let Bridgette pull too farahead.
Marion could tell her new friendwas still close because she could hear the pounding of her shoes against theground, though she could not see her. Darkness had so swallowed the light ofday that she would not have been able to see in front of her face at all if notfor the bright moon. She wasn’t sure how long they’d been running, but sweatwas dampening her brow and the back of her neck, rivulets running down herback. She knew the temperature was dropping from the cool wind against herface, though she was not cold. Around her, the night came alive with sounds ofanimals venturing out. Deep-throated croaking and shrill shrieking filled theair. Something buzzed very near her ear, and she swatted at it as she ran.
The path they were on narrowed andbegan to curve sharply. They must have been going along the mountain ledgethey’d traversed on the way here. She’d not been afraid when she’d followedBridgette around the ledge previously, not even when she’d looked down andrealized how high up they were, but now, in the dark, unable to see where toplace her feet, her heart raced and her body tensed. She held her left hand outas she ran, taking comfort from thebranchesagainsther skin and the fact that she had something to grab onto if she should take awrong step.
“Be careful,” Bridgette called backto Marion. “There’s a log blocking the path, and—”
Bridgette’s high-pitched screamresounded in the night, and Marion halted, her heart slamming painfully againsther ribs. “Bridgette?!”
When no answer came, awful dreadfilled Marion and made her shake. “Bridgette!” she yelled, a terrible feelingthat Bridgette had fallen over the edgefillingher. She stumbled forward in the dark, clinging now to the branches on her leftas she called for Bridgette. She paused every second to stop and listen andpeerinto the blacknessbelow.
“Bridgette!” she cried out again,kneeling on shaking legs. She dug her fingers into the dirt as if it could saveher were she to lean too far over. “Bridgette!”
“Aye?”
Theweakvoice came from below, and Marion’s chest squeezed with relief as she tried tolocate her friend. The moon shifted just enough that its light shone down toreveal Bridgette.
“Oh my God!” Marion gasped, as shestared in astonishment at Bridgette, who had one leg flung over a tree branchthat was sticking out of the side of the cliff and was clinging to it. “Don’tmove, Bridgette!”
“I did nae intend to,” Bridgettesaid, her words fearful, yet slightly amused.
“I’ll run back to the castle andfetch help.” She could see the castle ahead. It wasn’t far now.
“Nay!” Bridgette screeched. “Dunnaeleave me! I fear this branch will nae hold me much longer. If ye can get on yerbelly and stretch out yer arm”—Bridgette looked up at Marion—“maybe I can graspyer hand and ye can pull me up?”
Marion’s gut clenched. The idea ofBridgette dangling in midair and Marion being the one with the woman’s life inher hands terrified Marion, but what choice was there?
“Don’t worry!” Marion dropped toher belly and slid as far as she could toward Bridgette, careful to keep mostof her weight on solid ground. She stretched her hands as far as she could. “Canyou reach me?”
Bridgette raised her head and onehand, but Marion could see that it was not going to be possible. Bridgettecould not let go of the branch without falling, and the only way she would beable to grasp Marion’s hands was if she sat up. Dread curled in Marion’s belly,but when Bridgette started to softly cry, the dread turned to determination.
“Collect yourself, Bridgette!”Marion commanded, her tone stern. “I’ll get you off that branch!”
“How?” Bridgette wailed. “I kinnaereach ye, and we’ve nothing else for me to grab.”
Marion bit down on her lip, hard.If only they had rope, or cloth, or— She fisted the material of her skirts inher hands and stilled, her heart tripling its beat. “Bridgette! I’ve got it!”she shouted as she began to tug off her gown. “I’ll hang my gown down to you,and when ye see it, grab it!”
“Ye’re removing yer gown?! I dunnaethink Iain will like that!”
Distraught laughter bubbled up fromMarion. “I think he’ll understand in such circumstances.” Though she doubted he’dbe too understanding about the fact that she’d disobeyed his order to stay inher chamber. She shook her head and kept her attention on her task. The restwas not important now.
Once her gown was off and she stoodin her chemise, she sat on her bottom at the edge of the cliff, her legs bentto her chest and her heels digging into the dirt. This position would allow herto use the strength from her legs and back combined. The cold, wet grass madeher shiver as she slid across it, or maybe it was her nerves. Whichever it was,she had to take a few deep breaths to still her shaking hands.
She carefully wrapped the materialof the skirt around her hand, and then she clasped her hands together andcalled down. “Here it comes. Be ready.”
“I’m ready. I dunnae enjoy hangingon this branch.”
“Do you see it?” Marion asked.
“Aye,” Bridgette called, and Marionfelt a sudden pull on the gown.
“I’m afeared to let go,” Bridgettewailed.
“Don’t be,” Marion replied in themost soothing voice she could muster. “I will not drop you.” They may both goover the ledge, but she’d not break her vow, even if it meant her own death.
