head as she attempted to deny the raging reality in front of her very eyes.
“Lily, listen. You are going to have to be brave. We can do this.” He pulled up under the canopy of a tree and slid out of the saddle. She stared down at him, praying he had an alternative suggestion to offer her.
“Come on. Down you get. Come and help me. We’re looking for branches, light with a deal of length. They need to be at least a yard long. These trees are all widow makers so there will be plenty of timber below them. Straight, long and light.”
Her boots sank into the waterlogged ground as she slid from the saddle. Poor Nero’s body language mirrored her own, his head hung low and the water dripping from his ears trickled into his eyes. She ran her hand down his neck in sympathy.
“Now take off your outer clothes, cloak, boots everything heavy and just leave your shirt and breeches.”
She started at Tom’s words and stared speechless as a surge of uncontrollable shivering shook her. “I’m cold.” As she shook her head in denial her wet hair scored her face and sent droplets of icy cold water down her neck.
Tom stripped down as he talked. Her eyes roamed his body, fear and dripping rain washing away any memory of the muscles bunched beneath his shirt as she begrudgingly followed suit.
“Roll your clothes and boots up in your cloak and we’ll strap them to one of the spare horses. They’re already wet; we can dry them out on the other side. The rain will stop soon. Look.” He pointed up and she noticed with relief the clouds breaking and small patches of blue sky appearing like a reprieve.
“Why don’t we just wait until the rains stops and the river slows down?”
“Lily, we have to do this now. The longer we leave it the faster the river will run even if the rain stops. The runoff from the surrounding hills will keep the water rising for days.”
She gazed up at the steep sandstone cliffs further upstream and let out a huge sigh as she grudgingly accepted he was right.
The raging torrent in front of them churned with mud and half submerged debris swept down from the valley. A random branch sped down river and she flinched as she imagined it spearing her body, or Nero’s.
“This is how it works–Will, you and Bonnie go first, Lily and I will follow with Jem. The horses will swim across with no problem. Lily, you hold fast to Nero’s tail.” He picked up one of the long sticks they had collected and she took it. “Keep the stick in your left hand, if you find your horse drifting away from the rest of us, whack the water beside Nero’s head and he will veer away from it.” He put a cold dripping wet arm around her shoulder; his reassuring hug doing nothing to calm her churning stomach and her chattering teeth.
Lily saw Will pulling Bonnie close obviously offering the same advice Tom had given and she managed to garner a little comfort from the fact it was something they had obviously done before. Nevertheless, she’d swap this for a ride down any hill, any day, no matter how steep. Her body quaked at the prospect of the icy water. It was a test she knew she’d fail–she hated water. She had never been a strong swimmer, and she prayed she would be able to keep her head above water and go with the current. She watched, horrified, as Will kissed Bonnie long and hard. She moved closer to Tom seeking what little reassurance she could.
He answered her unasked question. “The horses won’t have enough strength to pull two of us, Lily. You have to do this on your own.”
The first horses waded down the steep bank. Jem was quickly swallowed by the rushing water. Will and Bonnie followed. Her breath stuttered to a halt as she saw Bonnie go under and she waited wringing her hands until Bonnie surfaced. Her gasp caused Tom to turn and smile tightly at her. She gave up trying to control her shaking.
“Our turn now, Lily. Be brave.”
Her breath snatched when the sudden chill of the river gushed over her
“Lily, listen. You are going to have to be brave. We can do this.” He pulled up under the canopy of a tree and slid out of the saddle. She stared down at him, praying he had an alternative suggestion to offer her.
“Come on. Down you get. Come and help me. We’re looking for branches, light with a deal of length. They need to be at least a yard long. These trees are all widow makers so there will be plenty of timber below them. Straight, long and light.”
Her boots sank into the waterlogged ground as she slid from the saddle. Poor Nero’s body language mirrored her own, his head hung low and the water dripping from his ears trickled into his eyes. She ran her hand down his neck in sympathy.
“Now take off your outer clothes, cloak, boots everything heavy and just leave your shirt and breeches.”
She started at Tom’s words and stared speechless as a surge of uncontrollable shivering shook her. “I’m cold.” As she shook her head in denial her wet hair scored her face and sent droplets of icy cold water down her neck.
Tom stripped down as he talked. Her eyes roamed his body, fear and dripping rain washing away any memory of the muscles bunched beneath his shirt as she begrudgingly followed suit.
“Roll your clothes and boots up in your cloak and we’ll strap them to one of the spare horses. They’re already wet; we can dry them out on the other side. The rain will stop soon. Look.” He pointed up and she noticed with relief the clouds breaking and small patches of blue sky appearing like a reprieve.
“Why don’t we just wait until the rains stops and the river slows down?”
“Lily, we have to do this now. The longer we leave it the faster the river will run even if the rain stops. The runoff from the surrounding hills will keep the water rising for days.”
She gazed up at the steep sandstone cliffs further upstream and let out a huge sigh as she grudgingly accepted he was right.
The raging torrent in front of them churned with mud and half submerged debris swept down from the valley. A random branch sped down river and she flinched as she imagined it spearing her body, or Nero’s.
“This is how it works–Will, you and Bonnie go first, Lily and I will follow with Jem. The horses will swim across with no problem. Lily, you hold fast to Nero’s tail.” He picked up one of the long sticks they had collected and she took it. “Keep the stick in your left hand, if you find your horse drifting away from the rest of us, whack the water beside Nero’s head and he will veer away from it.” He put a cold dripping wet arm around her shoulder; his reassuring hug doing nothing to calm her churning stomach and her chattering teeth.
Lily saw Will pulling Bonnie close obviously offering the same advice Tom had given and she managed to garner a little comfort from the fact it was something they had obviously done before. Nevertheless, she’d swap this for a ride down any hill, any day, no matter how steep. Her body quaked at the prospect of the icy water. It was a test she knew she’d fail–she hated water. She had never been a strong swimmer, and she prayed she would be able to keep her head above water and go with the current. She watched, horrified, as Will kissed Bonnie long and hard. She moved closer to Tom seeking what little reassurance she could.
He answered her unasked question. “The horses won’t have enough strength to pull two of us, Lily. You have to do this on your own.”
The first horses waded down the steep bank. Jem was quickly swallowed by the rushing water. Will and Bonnie followed. Her breath stuttered to a halt as she saw Bonnie go under and she waited wringing her hands until Bonnie surfaced. Her gasp caused Tom to turn and smile tightly at her. She gave up trying to control her shaking.
“Our turn now, Lily. Be brave.”
Her breath snatched when the sudden chill of the river gushed over her
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