When Love grows doubt

by Barbara Eckhoff

  On the narrow path he tried to pull Moira along behind him, but her fear of him gave her strength he had not expected. With a jerk, she was able to tear away from him, but the energy with which she had freed herself from him, now gave her such a backwards jolt, that she stumbled and thereby came too close to the edge of the abyss. She flapped her arms in the air, to avoid the fall, but she lost her balance and fell with a look of shock and a bloodcurdling scream into the depths. Dumfrey, who witnessed the inconceivable event with wide eyes, walked slowly to the place where Moira had been standing just a few seconds ago. Cautiously he looked over the edge and could not believe what he saw there. His whole plan was gone, but Robert MacIntyre would pay for it – terribly - and so he hurried away.

  Chapter 26

  Robert drove his horse forward despite the darkness that had set in. He was on the way to the bay, to take the cliff path. With the burning torch in his hand, he illuminated the path, hoping to spot anything that would tell him he was on the right track. But so far he had not found any evidence that Moira had been here. With a worried face, he reined in his horse and dismounted. From now on, he would have to lead his horse. It was too risky to ride along the narrow path, because it was too easy for the horse to misstep and fall into the depths together with the rider. Before he could set off in the direction of Moira's old childhood home, he wanted to inspect the path down to the bay. Although he did not believe that Moira had been here or that she would have been so reckless as to climb down in her condition, he did not want to leave any place not searched. A few minutes later he turned back with the knowledge that no one had been here for a long time. Where was she? There had to be a trace of her somewhere. No one could simply disappear and so he took his horse by the rein and searched the path with the torch. He shone the light on every bush and shrub that grew along the trail and called her name, but except for the soft clapping of the waves below him, everything remained silent. The more time went by without him finding anything the more his hope that he would find her here disappeared. Maybe she was somewhere else and he was wrong with his assumption. Cautiously he went on, when a flickering light in front of him caught his attention.It came slowly towards him and it could only mean that Samuel was coming towards him. Robert wanted to know what he had to report, so he waited for him and in the meantime he continued to point the torch on the floor. Suddenly he discovered a small footprint in the sand in front of him. He crouched down and held the torch close to the ground. There he could see it. Robert took courage as he directed the light onto the path, and could now clearly make out the footprints of a human being.

  With large steps he pursued the trace, until he reached a point where the trail stopped and another one from the opposite direction had joined it. These prints were now much larger and rather those of a man. Had Moira met with someone? Robert tied his horse to a bush and lit the way. At this moment, Samuel arrived, accompanied by Eileen, who was leading Samuel's horse.

  "So you haven't found her yet either?"

  "No, unfortunately I haven't. She wasn't with me, but

  Samuel has made out footprints, that have walked along here."

  "Yes, but they belong more to a man. However I found smaller ones that run right up to here. It could be, that if it was Moira, she met up with someone here."

  "But then we should have found her prints as well, or you should have found his. Somehow they both had to get out of here."

  "That's the strange thing. I only found the men's prints that disappeared over there," Robert pointed inland.

  „If we just had more light."

  Something wasn't right here. Robert could feel it, so he shone his light on the bushes along the precipice and then he saw it. At a bush, not far from him, was a small piece of cloth. When he examined it more closely, he was sure that it was from Moira's dress, which she had worn in the garden.

  "Come here, I think I found something."

  Immediately they both rushed to Robert. He had begun to examine the bushes to the right and left of him. Samuel also illuminated the area with his torch, but there was no further sign of her. Eileen began to call her name and the men joined in. But everything remained quiet. Following an inner intuition, he stepped closer to the abyss.

  "Be careful, the cliffs are treacherous and the edge can easily crumble off."

  But Robert turned a deaf ear to Samuel's warning to the wind and stepped right up to the edge. He shone into the black abyss. He was just about to turn away again when something caught his attention. Immediately he lay down flat on his stomach and held his torch far down into the darkness.

  "My God! Moira! Samuel, come here and shine your light. I think she's down there."

  "What!"

  When Samuel also shined his light down into the abyss, they could see her. Her body was lying on a small ledge several feet below them and was not moving. A thicket that grew out of the rock seemed to have broken her fall.

  "Moira! Moira!"

  But Moira gave no sign of life in response to Robert's calls. He quickly straightened up and ran over to his horse. He pulled a rope from his saddlebag that he hoped was long enough and returned. Samuel and Eileen, who were slowly recovering from their state of shock, saw him tying one end around his waist and pressing the other end into his hands .

  "Tie it up somehow and then you can help me. I’m going - down there."

  "That's way too dangerous. You could fall yourself. The stones are loose and it's too dark. You can't even see where you're stepping. In a few hours it will be light, then we can help with more people."

  Upset, Robert yelled at Samuel.

  "I'm going down there now. With or without your help. She's my wife and I have to help her."

  Samuel tried to calm Robert down and to make it clear to him that any help was too late, but he saw the determination in his eyes and nodded silently. Then he turned to his wife.

  "Eileen, grab my horse and ride back to the castle as fast as you can. Round up everyone you can. Tell them to bring ropes, blankets, and a cart on which we can bed her."

  Completely distraught over what had happened to her friend, she answered in a tearful voice, "I will."

  Samuel lifted her onto the horse and said to her in a softer tone, so that Robert could not hear him, "You should hurry before there is another accident here. The situation is not letting him think clearly. I hope I can prevent something worse from happening here."

  "Yes, I will hurry. Take care of him. Such a terrible thing."

  Samuel gave his horse a pat on the butt and watched his wife ride off, then turned his attention to

  Robert, who was already busy attaching the other end of the rope to his horse's saddle. When Samuel came closer and looked at him anxiously he replied:

  "I know you think I'm crazy, but I have to get down there. Will you help me?"

  Samuel nodded. He had no choice anyway. He just hoped the help came quickly.

  "Listen, here's my plan. The rope is tied to the saddle, that's my belay. I'm going to try to go down a little farther to the right because of the loose rocks and then work my way up to her. You will hold the rope from up here and guide me. When I'm with her, you pull us up with the help of the horse.“

  "Robert, we should wait until the others arrive. Eileen will bring them here."

  "I can't wait for that," he drove at Samuel, "If she's hurt, she needs help."

  "You don't really think she's alive, do you? I'm sorry to have to tell you this so brutally, but no one has ever survived a fall from the cliffs."

  Angry and upset, Robert's eyes sparkled.

  "I'm going down there now, and I don't want to hear about her possibly being dead."

  Before Samuel could say anything else, Robert turned and readied himself. Slowly and carefully he let himself backwards down the abyss. Feet and fingers sought a foothold in the crevices and he was anxious not to hit any loose stones. He had chosen a spot to the right, so that if any stones started to ro
ll, they would not hit Moira. Samuel had in the meantime made himself ready to support the insane plan.

  He hoped fervently that Robert's advance would not end just as badly. A misstep could also mean the end for him. But Robert proceeded cautiously. He was well aware of the danger he was in, but Moira was in even greater danger. If she were still alive and all his action revolved around this one thought, he had to get to her quickly. Any movement by her could mean that the bushes that held her, could give way and she’d plunge completely into the depths. Continuing to creep forward, he cursed the darkness. The sparse light from the torch that Samuel held at the precipice was by no means sufficient to see his next steps.

  But he simply could not wait for the help of the others and sit idly by, while his wife was down there on the cold stone needing help. It seemed to take an eternity, but while Samuel called out to him from time to time where he should step now, he gradually came closer to the ledge. Finally he reached it and saw that the danger to Moira was even greater than he had thought. The ledge on which she lay, was so narrow that any movement on her part would cause her to fall further. Her fall was stopped by only a bush, which grew out from under the ledge. Robert pushed up to her and held her at bay with his body.

  "I'm with her," he called upward.

  Samuel exhaled in relief. The first hurdle had been cleared. Then he heard behind him voices and a horse-drawn cart coming down the path. Help was approaching. Thank God. Now they could get them both up.

  "Robert, is she alive? The help is here. We'll get you right up."

  Robert, was busy examining Moira. Through the darkness he could not make out her injuries and she showed no signs of life. She reacted neither to his voice or his touch. She lay on her stomach and her face was turned away from him, yet he tried to feel her pulse. At the wrists he could not feel anything and so he tried her neck. Had a small pulse been felt there? Yes, very faintly, he could feel something.

  "Moira, can you hear me? I'm going to get you to safety, do you hear me? Hold on."

  Then suddenly several ropes were thrown over the precipice from above, torches and lamps illuminated the ledge. At last Robert could see the full extent of the catastrophe. Blood ran in a rivulet from the stone and her arms were also covered with deep abrasions. His heart almost stopped at this sight.

  "My lord, take the ropes and tie them around her body and we will pull her up first," sounded down from above and Robert began to tie the first rope under her arms. He tied another rope around her waist, then he tore off her hoop skirt, as it was an obstacle to her recovery. He tied a third rope around himself so that two men could pull him up at the same time.

  "We're ready to go, but slowly and carefully", he called upwards. Then the ropes were tightened and Robert pulled Moira to her feet. Held by the ropes, her body hung limp against him, because while Robert himself was pulled up, he tried to support her body as well.

  When the cliff edge appeared in front of him strong arms pulled first Moira and then him up. Once he reached the top, he immediately untied the ropes and turned to his wife, who was now lying motionless on the ground. It was a picture of horror. Her face was smeared with blood and she had abrasions on her hands and arms. The petticoat was also soaked with blood and so he did not hesitate and carried his wife over to the cart, where he immediately turned to Samuel.

  "Ride to the village and get the doctor. I’ll take Moira home. Hurry! It's a matter of life and death."

  He didn't have to tell Samuel twice, and before he had even finished the last sentence, he was already on his horse gallopping off. Eileen climbed onto the cart with Robert when he started the horses. She squatted down next to Moira, wrapped her in the blankets, held her hand,and prayed to God that she would survive.

  Chapter 27

  Robert drove to the castle as quickly as he could. The morning was already dawning and it would not be long before the sun would rise, but Robert's thoughts only circled around Moira's condition.

  So far she had not regained consciousness and he fervently hoped that the doctor could help her. Eileen had padded her head and body with blankets so that he could drive quickly, but it still seemed like an eternity until he finally reached his house. No sooner had he brought the carriage to a halt, when he jumped from the coach box and lifted Moira from the loading area into his arms. Effortlessly, he carried her with great strides up the front steps. Eileen hurried ahead of him to open the heavy front door, when Albert came to meet them in the vestibule. Quite contrary to his usually impeccable appearance, his condition was somewhat deranged that suggested he had been sleeping in his clothes. Before he could say anything about the situation Robert called out to him: "The doctor is coming, send him up right away , call your wife that we need her, and tell Gwyneth to put on some hot water. As much as she can."

  Without another word he saw with horror Moira lying lifeless and covered with blood in the arms of her

  husband. He hurried to his wife and woke up Gwyneth. Robert carried Moira swiftly up the stairs to his bedroom. In the room Eileen had already taken the blankets and pillows from the bed so that he could lay Moira on the mattress. While Robert was still carefully bedding her, Eileen began to light the lamps in the room and to light the fire in the fireplace. They needed light and warmth when the doctor arrived. Carefully, Robert began to undress Moira. Again and again, he tried to talk to her, but she still showed no movement. Once again he checked her pulse and was relieved to find that it was still there. Weak, but he could feel it. Harried appeared with a pile of clean sheets and bandages on her arm and laid everything out on the table by the fireplace, then she and Eileen carried the table over to the bed. Horrified, she looked at Robert.

  "My lord, what has happened? We were up all night hoping your wife would come home. Then when Eileen came here and called everyone together, we didn't know what had happened. Did she have an accident?"

  Before he could say anything, he heard hurried footsteps on the stairs and Albert shouted to someone that it was the room to his left. Then he caught sight of the doctor, who was standing with his bag in his hand,

  followed by Albert and Samuel. Dr. Simmons was a handsome, middle-aged man, and he owned a practice in the village. During years of practice, he had seen many things, but the sight of this young woman lying on the bed covered in blood, made even him stop for a moment. Robert immediately approached him.

  "What happened, can you tell me?"

  Dr. Simmons hurried to the bed, placed his doctor's bag on the table and took out a stethoscope.

  "I found my wife on a ledge by the cliffs. She must have fallen down there. I then brought her here. Please Doctor, you must save her."

  Carefully he opened Moira's blouse and listened to her heart. Then he pushed up her eyelids and examined her eyes. He examined her head and neck and carefully felt her chest. Then, as he felt her abdominal area, he paused.

  "Is your wife pregnant?"

  "Yes, how bad is it?

  "I can't tell for sure right now. She's alive, but the blood loss worries me. She is losing too much blood and has to be treated immediately, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room so I can work in peace."

  "Under no circumstances will I leave my wife here alone," replied Robert firmly.

  The doctor stood up in front of him. He knew this situation well enough, when the relatives stood in his way rather than let him do his work.With the necessary objectivity, he enlightened Robert.

  "My lord, I have to concentrate and need quiet to work. If you are here in the room, it's more of a hindrance, and it doesn't benefit neither you nor your wife.So please leave now and wait downstairs until I'm finished. Harried and Eileen will stay here and assist me. Albert, I'm going to need a lot of hot water. Please have it prepared as soon as possible."

  "It's already ready for you."

  "Very well. Then if I may ask you gentlemen to leave the room?"

  While Albert and Samuel went to the door, Robert didn't m
ove a bit. He had brought Moira here and he did not want to leave her alone now.

  "Please, my lord," the doctor urged him again, "you are wasting important time."

  That's when Eileen intervened and gave her husband a wave, that he should take Robert with him. Samuel understood and tried to influence Robert.

  "Come on, let the doctor work. It doesn't help Moira if you keep him from doing it. We'll wait downstairs."

  And as he said this, he pushed Robert out of the room in front of him. Relieved to finally be able to begin his work, Harried, at his behest, closed the door behind the men and began to give the doctor a hand.

  Outside, Samuel turned to Albert, before going into the writing room with Robert.

  "Albert, bring him a double scotch, I think he could use it right now."

  "Very well."

  When Samuel was with Robert in his office, Robert's face was written with despair. He was sitting slumped at his desk and had his head in his hands, while Samuel stood at the window, lost in thought watching the sun as it rose. What a night lay behind them. When he turned around, he saw Robert sitting with his eyes closed. He could well imagine what was going on inside him. One floor up, his wife was fighting for her life and he was supposed to wait here idly. But it didn't help anyone if he made the doctor nervous. How had it ever come to this? Had it been an accident or did Moira intend to take her own life?

  Something was no longer right in their relationship. He had this feeling for weeks, but he didn't know if he should bring it up. Eileen said he should ask why Moira no longer came to visit her, and so he took it to heart and spoke his thoughts.

  "I know it's none of my business, but what's going on between you and Moira? For weeks I've only seen her from afar, if at all and she doesn't visit Eileen anymore. Something has been bothering you for a long time, too and then tonight. Why was she out there alone? Won't you finally explain to me what's going on?"