4 #3
She turned triumphantly to wave at her companions far below, but they were busy and did not look up.
Just then a seagull floated above her head, calling with its harsh voice and she remembered just how close she must be to the sea.
Why, if she continued up the hillside, surely she would be able to see all the way to the seashore itself. It must be a wonderful sight.
But a few scrambling steps later, the path suddenly vanished. A vast boulder had at some time slid across it, preventing her from going any further. She found herself blinking back tears, not of pain, but of sheer frustration, when suddenly a voice said, “You little fool! Take my hand. Quickly!”
She gazed up, but against the brilliance of the sun she could only see a dark outline of a man, but she had no difficulty in recognising the autocratic voice and the hand held out to her.
For a split second Jane hesitated; she was loathe to admit that she was in need of assistance and even more averse to that assistance being given by Mr Maitland.
But her common sense prevailed. She was well aware that she did not have the strength to push herself upwards but she was reluctant to give up her goal when she was so close to successfully completing the climb.
Stretching out a hand she found it clasped in his; with one firm pull she was on top of the boulder, gasping at the incredible view that lay before her—she could see miles out to sea, to the dark line of the horizon—almost unaware of the tightness of the grip on her arm as Archer held her steady against his side.
Thrilled to have overcome her fear, she said, “Thank you, Sir. I would have been unhappy to have had to climb down and not seen this panorama of sky, sea and land. You may release me, now. I am in no danger of falling.”
Archer was so angry that he could hardly speak. Miss Jane Darcy had obviously no idea that she had put herself into a most grievous position. Even now she could be lying with broken limbs at the bottom of the cliff face.
At last he said, “And what would you have done if I had not been here, Miss Jane?”
She looked up at him, startled by the anger in his voice, aware that his grip had, if anything, tightened even more around her arm.
“Why, I would have clambered down to my companions, taking great care, I assure you.”
Crossly, she pulled her arm free; she was certain she would have a bruise there soon. She could not understand why he was so angry. She had not inconvenienced him in any fashion.
“It was foolhardy in the extreme. You could have killed yourself!”
Jane twisted away: insufferable man, lecturing her as if she were a small child.
Archer gasped as the long, fair hair was caught by the wind and wrapped itself over his face.
For a moment he was blinded until he pushed the tendrils away.
He had never seen hair as pale a gold as this.
From what he could remember, Anne Darcy’s was darker and he had never seen it loose, it had always been high on her head in a complicated arrangement, not loose and wild.
Jane, unaware that her rescuer was comparing her to her twin, spun round to him once more and said, “I have no idea why you are so angry, Sir. Perhaps we should go down and join the others. Indeed, here is someone come to find me.”
A scrabbling of feet on the rocks, and Dr Moore clambered up the final steep slope towards them.
“Miss Jane! Archer! I thought I heard voices. We were growing concerned, Miss Jane. We had no idea whom you were talking to up here. I am surprised to see you, my friend. I thought you were engaged with family duties this morning.”
Jane felt a wave of relief. Dr Moore’s friendly face and cheerful voice that held no hint of censure were a balm to her aggravated emotions.
Andrew gazed out at the view and then back down the path, suddenly away of how sheer it was. “Good Lord, that’s a steep climb. You should not have attempted it on your own. You could have fallen and hurt yourself.”
Archer struggled to control his temper. “That is exactly what I have been telling her! But perhaps you will have more success than I in conveying to Miss Darcy the imprudence of her behaviour.”
“Ha! I think the better course of action is for us all to return to firmer ground. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Signorina Celeste have walked down to join our company and I fear he is a little distressed by your actions, Miss Jane.”
Jane immediately felt a wave of contrition; she would never willingly upset her godfather and had to admit perhaps her desire to overcome her fears had rather outweighed her judgement on this occasion. But she was determined she would not give Archer Maitland the satisfaction of telling him that!
“There is a better path, just a little way along the top of the hillside. Come!” Without saying another word, Archer turned and walked away, leaving the others to follow.
Jane pulled on her bonnet once more, tied it securely under her chin and tucked her hair under it in some semblance of order.
Andrew waited patiently, then tucked Jane’s hand through his arm and helped her over the rougher parts of the track as they descended to where the others of their company were waiting.