When she felt his fingers touch her ankle, she screamed at the futility of her efforts. She kicked out at him to keep him away, but he kept trying to grab hold of her. Finally she hit his head with her foot and he fell a few feet, but quickly secured another hold and began to climb up again. How long could this go on? She was so close to the edge of the path, with no way to reach it.
She screamed again when Cedric’s fingers stretched up at her. And then she heard her name called, though it seemed far away, muffled by the racing water and her own heavy breathing. At first she thought her mind was playing tricks on her, offering her hope when there was none. Then she heard the voice again, louder, and recognized it.
“Garrick! Hurry—Hurry!”
Cedric heard him too and no longer tried to reach Brenna. She watched as he scrambled down the cliff and in a panic, jumped into his boat. The impact of his body capsized the small vessel, and Cedric tumbled into the water. The current caught him and carried him with it. Brenna saw him fighting against the water, trying to swim. His head went under once, then again, and she saw him no more.
Garrick found her staring blankly at the black water of the fjord. He reached out to her, their hands only just meeting, and pulled her around a smooth boulder to the path. She fell into his arms and did not protest as he carried her to the top of the cliff and into his house.
Garrick put Brenna down by the fire in the hall and quickly brought her wine. “You must get out of those wet clothes, Brenna.”
“Nay, let me rest first.”
He did not argue, but sat down with her on the fur rug. His eyes were downcast, his anxiety great. Brenna knew why.
“Can you ever forgive me?”
She touched his cheek. “Hush. ’Tis over now.”
“Nay. I caused you endless grief. I nearly cost you your life by bringing Cedric here to discover the truth when I should have believed in you.”
“I do not blame you, Garrick. As long as you trust me now. Do you?”
“Yea, and I will always,” he whispered, and kissed her tenderly. “Will you wed me now?”
“If you still want me.”
“Want you?” he shouted in amazement. “Woman, how can you doubt it?”
She laughed and snuggled in his arms. “We have so much to be thankful for, Garrick. You, me, Selig—we all could have died.” She sat up. “Where is Selig?”
“He is safe.”
She relaxed again. “I shudder to think what would have happened if you did not come when you did. Cedric was bent on revenge against me because I nearly killed him. When he heard you call, he tried to escape, but fell into the water and drowned.” She trembled as she spoke of it.
“’Tis fortunate your horse is indeed faster than mine. I reached here in only minutes.”
“The wind must have carried you,” she smiled. “But thank God you woke in time.”
Garrick laughed. “That you can thank our son for. He roused me by pounding on my chest, no doubt thinking he had discovered a new toy to play with.”
“Where did you leave him? With Erin?”
“Nay. Just as I left your house with him, Yarmille came, to bid you farewell, she said. I asked her to take him to my parents.”
Brenna’s blood turned to ice. “Garrick—nay! Say you jest!”
“What is wrong?”
Brenna jumped to her feet. “She is going to kill him! She went there to kill you both!”
Garrick did not stop to doubt her words. They both ran to the stable for fresh horses and rode with terrifying speed to Brenna’s house. Behind her house, Garrick found the trail of Yarmille’s horse leading into the woods, not to his parents’ house.
They did not talk as they followed the trail. Brenna could hardly see through the wash of tears she shed. Still she managed to keep up, uttering hopeful prayers every step of the way. When Garrick lost the trail in underbrush, Brenna thought she would die of grief. What hope did her little son have against Yarmille? Too much time had passed.
Garrick tried to insist Brenna go for help, but she could not bear to leave the woods when Selig might be close. So they continued on blindly, looking for signs of Yarmille’s trail. When Brenna saw her coming slowly toward them, she raced ahead of Garrick and reached Yarmille first. The older woman was alone.
“Where is he?” Brenna cried.
