Page 12 of A Laird and a Healer

The daring escape was underway. Nessa clutched the cloth between her fists and pressed her feet firmly against the castle walls. The wind whipped her hair. She gazed behind her, looking towards the window below. She had to descend at an angle. Caroline’s heart was in her throat, fearing that something terrible was going to happen. If Nessa should drop, then there was nothing that would have prevented her from death. It was all out of Caroline’s hands.

By the time Nessa got about halfway towards the window, Caroline nudged Tara in the back.

“It’s ye turn,” she said.

“Are ye sure ye dinnae want tae gae first?”

Caroline shook her head. “If I leave ye here, then ye are never gaeing tae follow. Gae on, it’s time. The sooner ye get out there, the sooner it’ll be over. Just follow what Nessa is daeing. She hae already moved it at the right angle, sae ye dinnae need tae stare at anything other than the walls. Keep yer feet firmly against them, and keep yer fists clutched. Ye will be safe, I promise. Nessa is nae tae far ahead, and I am nae tae far behind.”

Tara glanced anxiously towards the window again. “I cannae,” she whispered.

“Aye, ye can. Tara, would I ask ye tae dae anything that I thought would be harmful? Ye trust me, aye?”

“Aye,” Tara nodded.

“Then I’m asking ye tae dae this. I know it’s a lot tae ask, and I wish we could keep ourselves the right way up, but this is just something we hae tae dae. Focus on what it’ll feel like tae climb through the window. These are just moments ye hae tae live through in order tae get there. It’ll pass quickly. Now hurry, the longer ye wait here, the worse it’ll seem in yer mind,” Caroline nudged her again, practically shoving her towards the window.

Tara gnawed on her lower lip and whimpered, but she tentatively climbed up onto the window ledge and then turned herself around. She grabbed hold of the tether and breathed deeply a few times. She looked at Caroline and nodded, and then followed Nessa’s path. She was far slower than Nessa, shuffling her feet along the walls rather than walking, never taking them away from the firm surface. She also stopped frequently, wailing as the wind whipped around her. Caroline knew she was going to be fine as long as she kept her grip tight.

Beyond Tara, Nessa had reached the window. She peered inside and then gave Caroline a wave, indicating that it was safe. She was swallowed by the castle and held the rope taut. Caroline then left the room herself. Fear touched her mind, but the day had been so harrowing already that she was numb to the feeling. She took the cloth in her hands and followed her sisters, keeping her eyes trained on the window she had just left.

While she wasn’t so much afraid of falling, although the wind was fiercer than she had imagined, she was more afraid that someone was going to come into the room and discover their escape. She had a vision in her mind of Laird Knox coming to check on her and torment her yet again. He would yell at them and take their escape as an insult, drawing a knife and cutting through the cord, watching them fall to the ground helplessly. She shuddered at the thought and had to take a moment to compose herself. There was no sense in being afraid of things that had not happened yet. There was already so much to be afraid of in the world.

She glanced over her shoulder. Tara was two thirds of the way down. Because she was moving so slowly, Caroline had almost caught up to her.

“Tara, ye need tae keep moving. Ye are almost there.”

“I cannae,” Tara yelled, her voice rising over the cackling wind. “I’m cold and I’m afraid.”

“What dae ye think is gaeing tae happen if ye dinnae move? Are ye gaeing tae stay there for the rest of yer life?” Nessa shouted up from the lower window, not making any effort to hide the impatience from her voice.

Caroline tried to be more gentle. “Tara, I’m going tae reach ye soon and when I dae I cannae get past ye. Ye are gaeing tae hae tae move. It will nae be long until we’re in a room again. Then we’ll escape the castle, and we’ll try to find a village with more hospitality than what we hae been used tae. Ye hae done sae well sae far, ye just need tae keep going for a wee bit longer. Can ye dae that for me?”

It took a few moments, but a strangled “Aye” was the reply given. Caroline breathed with relief. The last thing she needed was a sister who would not move an inch. She glanced down as Tara eventually made it to the window and jumped inside, hugging onto Nessa, but she was too eager to return to safety and when she embraced Nessa, Nessa let go of the rope. Caroline’s feet scraped against the castle walls and the world became a blur as she swung away.

The shock was so intense that for a moment, she loosened her grip and slid down an inch, but she clamped her hands back around the cloth almost immediately, and also entwined it between her legs. She now dangled helplessly, the momentum carrying her away from the window.

Nessa and Tara cried out to her. They stretched their arms out and waited for Caroline to return. Caroline grit her teeth and glanced down. The world spun from this dizzying height, and she wondered if she would feel the pain of all her bones breaking, or if death would come so abruptly that she would not be aware of it at all. She swung back towards the window.

“Now!” Nessa cried, and stretched out.

Caroline felt Nessa’s fingers brush against her legs, but she could not get a firm grip, and Caroline swung away again. Nessa’s curse traveled along the wind. Caroline swung away again, unable to do anything to help herself. She looked up along the length of the tether, hoping that the bed was strong enough to hold.

“I’ll get ye this time!” Nessa shouted.

Caroline looked alarmed as she saw Nessa halfway out of the window, Tara’s arms around Nessa’s waist. This time Caroline swung past and Nessa grunted as she tackled Caroline, hauling her inside. The girls crumpled into a mess on the floor. They gasped and heaved with breath, and then laughed in triumph. They slowly extricated themselves from the tangle and got to their feet.

“Is everyone in one piece?” Caroline asked, patting herself down just to make sure.

“I think sae,” Tara said, putting her hand against her forehead. She looked paler than usual.

“Oh aye. I could dae that again,” Nessa grinned.

“Please nae.”

Nessa turned tae Tara. “And next time dinnae jump on me like that. Dinnae ye think that it was nae the best idea?”

Caroline wasn’t in the mood for them to start bickering again. “We made it out in one piece, but we’re still in this keep. Let’s nae be hasty. Tara, look around tae see if there’s anything we can use tae keep ourselves warm. Nessa, let us try the door.”