Page 106 of Some Like It Scot
Wedge yipped his response and then released a whine, pawing at the edge of the cliff above me and sending dirt tumbling onto my upraised face. I dodged part of the avalanche and wiped my eyes.
“What ya doing down there, Katie Campbell?”
Well, if that voice wasn’t one of the best!
My grin spread, and I looked back up to find Lachlan peering over beside Wedge.
I cupped my eyes in a futile attempt to shield my upturned face from the rain. “I met Seamas.”
The boy’s eyebrows rose. “And he pushed you over the ledge?”
“He charged me, and I fell.”
Lachlan looked out over the horizon and released a low whistle. “The good Lord sure wants you alive, Katie Campbell. This is one of the only places with a ledge near the edge of the cliff. Otherwise, it’s just a pure drop down to the rocks and sea.”
My stomach plummeted. I didn’t necessarilyneedthat information.
“It’s good to know God’s not finished with me yet, then.”
“Aye” came his quick reply. “Granny would miss you fiercely. Uncle Graeme too.”
The simple statement spread the sweetest warmth through my chilling body. I love kids’ honesty sometimes.
“Well, let me see if I can get out of here so I won’t be missed any longer. Would you take these for me?” I tossed the jacket and skirt up to him, and after a few tries, he caught them and placed them on the grass above. Then I clutched the cliff and took position to try to climb again.
I made enough headway to almost get an elbow over the lip of the cliff. Lachlan grasped around my arm to assist, pulling till his cheeks grew redder than they already were.
“You’re heavier than a sack of potatoes, ye are.”
I laughed. Okay, maybe their honesty wasn’t always my favorite.
And I slid right back down the cliff side.
“Och! This is no good.” He released a loud sigh and raised his slender arms in defeat.
“We could try again.” I righted myself and reached for the ledge, but Lachlan frowned.
“I know what is to be done,” he said like the grown-up he wanted to be. “I’ll run for help and leave Wedge here to keep you company.” He peered down, a sudden glimmer lighting his sprite-like face. “Dinnae go anywhere.”
“Funny,” I called as he disappeared from view.
Wedge sent a few more sprays of dirt down to me and finally gave up digging to take a seat. The rain picked up a little more, and the air cooled another dozen degrees. Or at least it felt like it. I rubbed my palms against my bare arms and tried to think of warm fires and hot chocolate... which automatically sent my thoughts to Hot Scot, which helped a little with the internal cold feeling.
I sighed out to the horizon. Maybe I should have at least kept the jacket.
Brilliant and graceful. Me to a T.
I waited a little while, occasionally finding Wedge peering down at me before he’d disappear from view again. And then I decided to try to climb again. I mean, being the literal damsel in distress didn’t mean I couldn’t put forth a little effort.
After a few false starts, I finally hooked one elbow over the summit as the rain pelted my soaking hat. At least the brim kept water from blocking my vision, except when the wind blew rain into my face. I sputtered out another unwelcome taste of the storm and tried to get my other elbow over the rim, and had almost succeeded when two things happened. A movement in the distance distracted meandthe wind blew so hard it sent my hat soaring over the cliff side and into the sea. Or, at least, I assumed a sea still swirled beneath the thick fog shrouding whatever lay below.
Just lovely. Hatless, skirtless, and completely prideless.
I blinked my vision back to the approaching distraction above the cliff and almost lost my grip on the rim. Galloping through the blinding rain, in my direction, was a horse with a rider. A white horse.
I squeezed my eyes closed and reopened them. Did hypothermia cause delusions? Or were the faeries at work?
Wedge yipped, and the rider veered his horse in our direction.
