The next sound she heard came from directly below her. She jumped up, caught a glimpse of a figure where she expected to see him, and threw her weapon at his head. The rock had just left her hand when she realized the climber had golden hair. She screamed a warning, but Chetwynd had already ducked. Still the rock landed on his shoulder with enough force to knock him over.
Appalled at what she had done, Isabel scrambled down to where Chetwynd lay. He was struggling to get up, and she moved so quickly she bumped into him, knocked him over, and landed on top of him.
Recognizing that his attacker was Isabel, Chetwynd ceased struggling and lay back to stare at her. “Saints preserve us,” he muttered.
“Are you all right, my lord?” Isabel was sickened by what she had done. As soon as the rock left her hand she was sure it would kill him.
Without waiting for him to answer, Isabel began imitating the check he had done on her when she fell from her horse. She had little idea what she was feeling for, but she took comfort from running her hands over his well-formed limbs. Surely she would be able to tell if he had broken any bones.
Stunned by Isabel’s sudden appearance more than the attack, Chetwynd pushed her hands away and struggled to sit up. “I’m fine, Isabel. Just relax a minute. Don’t help me.”
“I could have killed you. I’m just trying to see if you’re hurt.” Upset that he refused her help and afraid he was angry, she couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks.
Chetwynd didn’t say another word. He stood up and gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly while she soaked his doublet with her tears. Her whole body was shaking from the force of her sobs, and he had to practically drag her to a safe spot under the ledge.
Isabel became aware that Chetwynd was kissing her forehead and holding her tight against him as he ran his hands up and down her back. She stopped crying and lifted her face, hoping to taste his lips.
His kiss was sweet, and Isabel was glad he was holding her tightly, as she knew she could never stand on her own. Unable to get enough of his taste, her arms circled his neck and she returned his kiss with increasing eagerness.
Suddenly rocks were crashing around them and someone was shouting. At first Isabel was impatient at the noise that interrupted them, then frightened when Chetwynd pushed her behind him.
Jerome was rushing down the slope, sending rocks flying in all directions. He had heard Isabel scream and when he didn’t find her on the ledge, he began shouting her name.
At the same time, Ingram and Matthew were scrambling up the hill, dodging rocks and shouting for Chetwynd. Isabel, hidden behind Chetwynd’s back, listened to him calling to his men.
“I have Lady Isabel. She’s safe.” He pulled Isabel from behind him to prove his words, but he kept her tucked safely under his arm.
Ingram, Matthew, and Jerome all stared at her, but only Jerome was smiling.
“What happened to your face?” Ingram asked.
Chetwynd frowned at the question and turned to have a look. “Damnation,” he whispered.
Suddenly self-conscious, Isabel knew she must look like a wild woman. Her hair had been uncombed and uncovered for two days, and her clothes were dirty and torn. She put her hands to her face, to hide the swelling.
Chetwynd gently pulled her hands away. When he saw they were scraped raw, he examined them tenderly. “My god, what happened to you?”
Jerome was watching Chetwynd examine Isabel. When she hesitated, the squire answered for her.
“One of the outlaws struck her so hard she fell to the ground,” he said. “I didn’t see her injuries until this morning. All night long, she never complained. If the devil had been in the cave, I would have gone after him. Well, that’s what I thought at first. But of course the smart thing to do was to speed Lady Isabel away from there.”
Chetwynd silenced Jerome by putting a hand on his shoulder. “Take a deep breath,” he ordered gently. “Now, tell us how you rescued her.”
Jerome’s eyes went wide at Chetwynd’s assumption. “I didn’t rescue her. She escaped during the night. She tricked them. They tried to drug her, but she figured out a plan. She climbed up the hill to where I was hiding. The outlaws were out looking for her. We hid together until daylight. I have to tell you, it was cold in that hiding place. Did you catch the outlaws?” he asked, out of breath again.
All the time Jerome was speaking, Chetwynd stared at Isabel as her amazing courage began to sink in. She might appear helpless now, but she had fought against great odds and used her head to save herself.
“No, we thought you were the outlaws,” Chetwynd answered Jerome, his eyes still on Isabel. “We’ve been searching the area all day.”
“I’m so sorry I attacked you,” Isabel said, and even in her own ears her voice sounded pathetically weak.
Being careful of her injuries, Chetwynd pulled her back into his arms. “Hush. I know you were trying to protect Jerome. I’m sorry you had to go through this ordeal. We’ll hear more of your tale at the convent. Now we need to get you and Jerome patched up and fed.”
Over Isabel’s head, he looked at his squire. “You were there when Lady Isabel needed you, Jerome. I’ll never forget all you did.”
CHAPTER TEN
MARIANNA AND GILDA WERE PHYSICAL opposites. Marianna, tall and large boned, towered over the small, delicately featured nun. Despite their physical differences, they shared an open and friendly nature. When Chetwynd left the convent to search for Isabel, Marianna had been frantic with worry over what he might find. Gilda, who was used to helping women in distress, offered comfort. A bond of concern
