Reginald stood on the precipice trying to visually map a way down to Deidre. He couldnae ken how she managed to get down there, in the first place. The jutting rocks and boulders were wet and slick from the waterfall’s mist. How she kept from tumbling to the bottom was, indeed, a puzzle.
He’d need rope. Alotof rope.
“Hang on, lass,” he muttered, determined to bring her back to safety. ’Twas no use yelling. She couldnae hear him down there, with the water crashing over the precipice. Besides, she was curled up, with her knees to her chest and her head tucked in tight. ’Twas no’ much room on the ledge for anything else.
“Reggie!” Lauren, breathing heavily, touched his shoulder.
Startled, he whirled. He hadnae heard her approaching.
She grabbed his arm. “Come away from the edge, Reggie. Please!”
He let her pull him away for several steps. “Is anyone with ye? Julia, mayhap?”
“Yes. She and Phoebe aren’t far behind.” Her fear-filled eyes studied his face. “Deidre?”
“Does Julia have her talking device with her?”
“I… I don’t know. Probably. Reggie! Is Deidre…?”
“Stuck on a ledge. Nae!” he yelled when Lauren gasped and tried to move to the edge, to look over. “Listen tae me!” He stared into her horrified eyes. “Find Julia. Have her call Drew. Tell him tae bring lots of very long, very strong, rope.”
Lauren looked back, down the trail. “They’re coming. They’re right there.”
“Tell her. Hurry,” Reginald gave her a gentle push.
“I will, but… I want to help. Stay right here, Reggie. I’ll be right back.”
“Nae, lass. Ye cannae help. And I cannae focus on what I’m doin’, if I have tae worry about ye, too. I’ll have yer promise that ye’ll no’ risk yerself, no matter what happens.”
Terror contorted her face. “Reg—”
“I’ve no time tae argue. Yer promise! Quickly.”
“I promise,” she blurted.
He released her and moved toward the ledge, stopped, turned back and grasped her arms in desperation. “If…things doonae go well, I need ye tae ken how much I love ye. I fell in love under a blanket of stars and have loved ye every moment since ye tumbled intae my life.”
Tears filled her eyes and she pulled him close, kissed him hard and fast. “And I’ve loved you for just as long. Swear you’ll come back, Reggie. Safe and whole.”
“I’ll come back.”
“Tell Deidre I love her, too.” Lauren retreated a few steps, clearly struggling to appear calm. Brave. “When you bring her back, I’ll tell her, myself.”
“Aye. When I bring her.”
He turned back to the ledge, quickly scanning his options. There was no clear way down, to the lass. He’d just have to take it one step, one boulder at a time.
“Lauren!” Julia called.
“Did you find her?” Phoebe’s desperate plea hung in the air.
Reginald heard their cries as he bent down to lower himself over the ledge, onto the boulder, below. After that, he only focused on where to place his foot. And where to put the next one.
His hands kept slipping on the wet stones and slickrock. Every step was slow and tedious. Of all the places Deidre could have run, or hidden, what possessed her to choose this? She had to be daft tae ken she could survive the crag. But when he thought back to the shed, and the fire, he should have kenned then, she’d lost her reason. ’Twas his fault for letting it go this far. Why hadnae he seen it?! ’Twas a miracle she wasnae lying at the bottom.
Despite the mist from the water, sweat slicked his hands even further and dripped into his eyes. ’Twas all twists and turns, and unstable footing as he moved from one reasonably safe spot, to another.
He has no sense of time, but he kenned ’twas all taking too long! Far too long. He dinnae ken how much longer the lass could cling tae the ledge.
