There was a patch of ground near a tall bush a short distance beyond the cave. She made it her first goal. Isabel knew she had to steady her nerves and only move short distances until she was far enough away so that she needn’t worry about being heard. She prayed they would continue to play the game until she was a safely away.
When she was finally huddled behind the tall brush, Isabel wanted to stand up and run, but fear of discovery kept her patient. She would never be able to outrun Hardy. Although it was dark, she could see quite well and was sure they would be able to find her quickly once they discovered her gone. Hopefully, the time it took for their eyes to adjust to the dark would give her a little extra advantage.
Forcing herself to go slowly, Isabel finally managed to crawl far enough away that she didn’t need to worry about being heard. Although she wanted to head down the bank toward the river, she figured that was what they would expect her to do. Instead she stood up and climbed uphill, hoping to find a hiding place above their cave where she could wait until they discovered her missing. If they could not find her quickly, they might head for the convent to warn their leader that she had escaped. Then she could make her way to the aqueduct.
To move faster, she lifted her skirt and wrapped it around her legs, frantically searching around for cover. There were many large rocks and stubby trees, but none gave her the protection she hoped for. She feared the bandits would discover her missing before she found a hiding place, and she began to shiver violently. They were sure to punish her attempt to escape.
Suddenly Isabel froze. Something was moving silently along the ridge toward her. She feared it might be an animal, and her heart began to beat wildly. When a shadow appeared in her path, she fell back in terror.
“It’s me. Keep coming.”
Isabel recognized Jerome’s voice, but shock kept her from moving toward him.
There were shouts from below, and Isabel knew her disappearance had been discovered. The sound was enough to set her in motion, and she rushed to Jerome. Without a word, he took her arm and guided her along the ridge into a crevice behind some rocks. Since there was no room to stand, Isabel bent over and sat with her back against the wall. Jerome squeezed in beside her and arranged a covering of branches over them.
“How did you find me?” she asked in a breathless whisper.
“I was on the other side of the river searching for signs of a trail. From there I happened to see the sun shining on metal and caught sight of movement. I crossed the river, climbed to this spot above the cave, and have been waiting for dark. I built this little blind in case the outlaws looked about.
“Lord Chetwynd said not to try anything on my own. I planned to find him and tell him where you were. I was just about to leave when I spotted you moving up the hill. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did you get away?”
Before she could reply, Isabel heard rustling noises outside their hiding place. They shrank back into their small shelter. Isabel could see through the covering Jerome had devised, and spotted two men searching. The outlaws must have divided into pairs, one pair going toward the water and the other pair up the hill. Isabel feared the men outside would stumble into the blind. She shut her eyes, not wanting to see it when it happened.
“The little witch couldn’t have got this far. She must have gone to the river.” It was Hardy who spoke. He sounded like he was right on top of their hiding place.
“I thought you drugged her, you lout. How did she get away?”
They had moved away and Isabel couldn’t make out Hardy’s muttered reply, which was followed by a long string of curses.
Neither Isabel nor Jerome said anything for a long time after the men hurried away. When it had been quiet for a while, Isabel relaxed a bit and realized she was practically on top of Jerome. The crevice was situated between a rock and a steep part of the bank. “Sorry,” she said as she moved as far away as possible in the tight enclosure.
“That’s better.” Jerome moved his cramped arm and laughed softly. “My arm has lost all feeling.”
“I know what you mean. I think my whole body has lost all feeling. What do we do now?” Isabel asked, cheered to have someone to share her dilemma.
“They may be back. It’s safest to stay put for now. This spot is well hidden.”
“I think you’re right. I’d hate to have to stumble around in the dark. We’ll have a better chance of keeping our footing in the daylight.”
“Tell me how you got away?” Jerome asked, unable to contain his curiosity another minute.
Isabel listened to make sure there was no sound from outside and then started her story. Jerome was an appreciative audience, gasping when she mentioned the drugged wine, and making a whistling noise when she described sneaking away under the cover of their boisterous game.
When she had finished, Jerome patted her arm. “You are clever as well as brave, my lady.”
Isabel smiled at his words. “Coming from someone who was quick enough to follow the outlaws on foot, that’s quite a compliment.”
“That was luck. You were smart. Lord Chetwynd’s always telling me how I need to use my head.”
“From what I can see, you use your head very well. This is an
