and we travel north.”
“Can we not wait until morn?”
“We will not wait. We cross now.”
She faltered. “But…it looks so deep—”
“’Tis not.”
She made one last rally. “How will we cross? Must we”—there was a slight quaver in her voice—“swim?”
“You may ride Fortune. I will lead him across.”
He waded into the water, his hand on Fortune’s bridle.
They were a third of the way across when the bottom dropped out from beneath Cameron’s feet. The water was higher than he’d anticipated—there must have been more rain. He swore and kicked strongly. Fortune tossed his head, his eyes bulging. A word and stroke from his master, and the massive animal quieted. The water deepened, and soon Fortune could no longer stand, either. The beast began to swim. A quick glance behind revealed that Meredith had gone pale. Her fingers were twisted in the horse’s mane. The water crept higher, clear to her hips.
Then suddenly it happened. The shifting currents of the stream pushed the animal to the side. The beast neighed and began to swim more strongly.
But for Meredith it was already too late. From the corner of his eye Cameron saw a flurry of movement. There was a cry and a spray of water high in the air.
Just before she went under, she screamed. She resurfaced but a second later, and for one agonizing heartbeat, their eyes collided—hers were stricken and filled with panic. His heart leaped. Too late Cameron realized what lay behind her reticence.
He started to swim after her, but a rush of water had carried her beyond reach—he knew he would never catch her this way. Abruptly he changed direction, swimming to the shore.
Lunging from the river, he ran along the bank, keeping her in sight. A more accomplished swimmer would have floated with the current, staying atop the water until it was safer. But she was fighting it. With flailing arms she clawed desperately at the air, bobbing up and down, pitching back and forth like a twig.
There was a bend just ahead. Cameron leaped across a fallen mossy log and nearly lost his footing. Somehow his feet found purchase in the mud and he managed to remain upright. He was just ahead of her now; in but an instant she would be delivered into a smooth, glassy pool. Inhaling deeply, he launched himself forward.
He surfaced next to her. Just before she would have gone under again, he caught her and hauled her up against his side.
She flung her arms about his neck. Stricken, glazed eyes lifted to meet his. “Do not let me drown!” she cried. “Do not let me drown!”
His arm tightened around her. “I have you now, lass.” He placed his mouth near her ear. “Now listen to me. Keep your head above the water and do not struggle against me.”
It took but ten strokes to reach the bank. When he was able to stand, he slid an arm beneath her legs and carried her from the river to the top of a grassy embankment. Unmindful of the two humans’ ordeal, Fortune glanced up from where he munched the leaves of a bush.
Cameron stopped, a curious uncertainty within him. His lovely captive had yet to release him. The twine of soft, supple arms about his neck had not loosened;her body still arched against his as if he were all that she sought in the world.
And he could still feel her terror with every uneven breath she took…just as he could feel it leave her little by little.
It was then that the oddest thing happened. The ghost of a smile danced on his lips.
“Lady,” he murmured, “if you will but look about you, you will see you are in no further danger of drowning.”
The top of her head brushed his chin as she raised her head.
“Oh,” she said weakly.
Still she did not move. A dark brow climbed high. He cleared his throat, shifting her against his chest.
Only then did her perch in his embrace seem to penetrate her consciousness. Her daze left her in a flash. With a gasp she pushed herself away. Horror flitted across her face. As he lowered her to the
“Can we not wait until morn?”
“We will not wait. We cross now.”
She faltered. “But…it looks so deep—”
“’Tis not.”
She made one last rally. “How will we cross? Must we”—there was a slight quaver in her voice—“swim?”
“You may ride Fortune. I will lead him across.”
He waded into the water, his hand on Fortune’s bridle.
They were a third of the way across when the bottom dropped out from beneath Cameron’s feet. The water was higher than he’d anticipated—there must have been more rain. He swore and kicked strongly. Fortune tossed his head, his eyes bulging. A word and stroke from his master, and the massive animal quieted. The water deepened, and soon Fortune could no longer stand, either. The beast began to swim. A quick glance behind revealed that Meredith had gone pale. Her fingers were twisted in the horse’s mane. The water crept higher, clear to her hips.
Then suddenly it happened. The shifting currents of the stream pushed the animal to the side. The beast neighed and began to swim more strongly.
But for Meredith it was already too late. From the corner of his eye Cameron saw a flurry of movement. There was a cry and a spray of water high in the air.
Just before she went under, she screamed. She resurfaced but a second later, and for one agonizing heartbeat, their eyes collided—hers were stricken and filled with panic. His heart leaped. Too late Cameron realized what lay behind her reticence.
He started to swim after her, but a rush of water had carried her beyond reach—he knew he would never catch her this way. Abruptly he changed direction, swimming to the shore.
Lunging from the river, he ran along the bank, keeping her in sight. A more accomplished swimmer would have floated with the current, staying atop the water until it was safer. But she was fighting it. With flailing arms she clawed desperately at the air, bobbing up and down, pitching back and forth like a twig.
There was a bend just ahead. Cameron leaped across a fallen mossy log and nearly lost his footing. Somehow his feet found purchase in the mud and he managed to remain upright. He was just ahead of her now; in but an instant she would be delivered into a smooth, glassy pool. Inhaling deeply, he launched himself forward.
He surfaced next to her. Just before she would have gone under again, he caught her and hauled her up against his side.
She flung her arms about his neck. Stricken, glazed eyes lifted to meet his. “Do not let me drown!” she cried. “Do not let me drown!”
His arm tightened around her. “I have you now, lass.” He placed his mouth near her ear. “Now listen to me. Keep your head above the water and do not struggle against me.”
It took but ten strokes to reach the bank. When he was able to stand, he slid an arm beneath her legs and carried her from the river to the top of a grassy embankment. Unmindful of the two humans’ ordeal, Fortune glanced up from where he munched the leaves of a bush.
Cameron stopped, a curious uncertainty within him. His lovely captive had yet to release him. The twine of soft, supple arms about his neck had not loosened;her body still arched against his as if he were all that she sought in the world.
And he could still feel her terror with every uneven breath she took…just as he could feel it leave her little by little.
It was then that the oddest thing happened. The ghost of a smile danced on his lips.
“Lady,” he murmured, “if you will but look about you, you will see you are in no further danger of drowning.”
The top of her head brushed his chin as she raised her head.
“Oh,” she said weakly.
Still she did not move. A dark brow climbed high. He cleared his throat, shifting her against his chest.
Only then did her perch in his embrace seem to penetrate her consciousness. Her daze left her in a flash. With a gasp she pushed herself away. Horror flitted across her face. As he lowered her to the
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