Page 50 of Wild Highland Rose (Time After Time #4)

Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Marjory squared her shoulders and met his gaze. "All right then. We'd best get to it. If Torcall and his men did go around the wall, they'll be inside Crannag Mhór by now. There's no time to lose."

As if to underscore the importance of her words, a blood curdling battle cry rang out from behind the main walls of the tower.

Cameron felt the hairs on his neck rise as the sound crescendoed and then died.

Marjory was pulling up her skirts, tucking the hem in the belt at her waist. With a nod, they stepped into the lake. The battle had begun.

The water wasn't just cold, it was frigid.

Marjory felt her teeth clacking together, as she moved cautiously along the wall.

The water came up to her breasts, but appeared to have reached its deepest point.

Looking up, she realized the slimy line of algae was far above her head.

Suddenly, she was grateful for low water, she'd had enough swimming for a lifetime.

Cameron tugged on her hand, and she realized they'd almost reached the end of the wall.

"We're almost around it. Hang in there," Cameron whispered, squeezing her hand as he gently pulled her forward.

Just a little bit more and they'd clear the end. Of course there was still the walk back to shore on the other side, but somehow that didn't seem so bad. Every step would take them closer to land, not away from it.

Cameron stopped suddenly, putting a finger to his lips.

Marjory almost crashed into his back. Motioning her to stay put, he flattened himself against the stones and slid forward until he could peer around the edge.

She held her breath, waiting for some sort of outburst from the other side of the barrier.

Everything was quiet. Cameron stepped around the wall, disappearing from view. She waited for a few moments and then took a few cautious steps forward, her heart beating staccato against her ribs.

"The coast is clear." Cameron's voice was barely a whisper, but he might as well have screamed.

Startled, she jumped back and would have fallen if he hadn't reached for her, his strong arm wrapping securely around her waist. She gasped for breath, feeling chagrinned.

"Are you all right?" His eyes were filled with concern.

"Aye, you just startled me a wee bit. I'm fine." She shook off his arm and rounded the end of the wall.

The shore was nearer on this side, the strip of land marking the causeway widening a bit.

She scanned the area, looking for any signs of activity, but the causeway was empty.

Assured that, for the moment at least, they were safe, she began to make her way toward the shore, leaving Cameron to bring up the rear.

Stepping out of the frigid water, she stood for a moment, simply enjoying the feel of solid ground beneath her feet.

Another cry rang out from behind the tower walls, this one a scream.

Marjory turned around, searching for Cameron, panic rising.

He was just behind her, struggling to shore, shaking water off his body.

"We must hurry." Her voice sounded strained and she forced herself to take deep calming breaths. It wouldn't help anyone if she lost her head now.

Cameron squeezed her shoulder, reassuringly. "Show me where the passageway is."

She nodded, grateful for something concrete to do. The causeway was short. The far end, like the gate side, was bounded by a stone wall jutting out from the tower's northern ramparts. It too, extended out into the water, protecting the little strip of land from the loch side.

Reaching the corner, Cameron released a frustrated sigh. There appeared to be nothing but grass and stone. "It's a dead end." He turned to look at her, his expression bordering on mutinous. "Hell, this was just a waste of time."

"Appearances are deceiving." With a faint smile she moved forward.

"There are actually two walls here." She demonstrated the fact by walking to an outcropping of brush, which at first glance it appeared to be growing out of the wall.

In actuality, the brush was behind a shorter wall whose masonry was designed to blend into the taller battlement behind it.

The foliage added to the illusion, making it look, at least to the casual observer, like one solid, impenetrable wall.

Marjory walked around the shorter wall, relieved to see that the narrow stairs descending into the rocky ground were still intact.

If the passageway was in a similar condition, they'd soon be safe inside the tower.

She started to walk down the steps, but stopped short when Cameron closed a hand around her arm and pulled her back around the wall.

She glared at him, jerking her arm away. "What are you doing? We've no time to waste."

"I know, but we can't just go charging down there. We don't know what we're going to find. For all we know, Torcall's men are still in the passageway." He reached for her hand again. This time she let him take it. "I know you're worried, but we have to move cautiously."

She nodded, biting her lip. "You're right. I wasna thinking."

He gave her hand a squeeze and she wondered why it was that this man's touch affected her so dramatically. Even under conditions as dire as these, she felt her body respond. Gritting her teeth, she shook off the distraction. "How do you want to proceed?"

"I'll go first." She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to silence her. "I've got the claymore, remember? Wouldn't you rather it be leading the way if we run into any of Torcall's thugs?"

She didn't recognize the word he used, but she gathered it was not a complimentary term. She rather liked the sound of it. "Fine, I'll leave the handling of thugs to you."