by Sahara Kelly
“Then we’ll go and see what Old Harry might be able to offer?” She patted her mouth with her napkin.
“Yes.”
They all rose with Adalyn, the four of them, resolute and focused. She looked at each strong face, confident they would all work together to do their best against this potential disaster.
“Let us be off. And pray God smiles upon our efforts.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Although the rain had slackened to a thick drizzle, the going was difficult as the Wolfbridge party set out for their first destination—the bridge.
Adalyn and Giles were in the carriage, with Jeremy on the box and Evan and Daniel riding behind them. The lanes were mud, which sucked at the wheels and slowed their progress, and the trees did not provide much in the way of shelter, since their wet leaves rained big droplets on those unlucky enough to pass beneath.
As they approached the river, Adalyn sucked in a breath. Where there had been a field yesterday, there was now a lake. And it washed right up to the doorstep of one of the houses they’d emptied only hours before.
“Dear God,” she whispered, pulling down the glass window despite the drizzle. “Can we even reach the bridge?”
“I don’t know yet.” Giles leaned over and looked as well.
The carriage drew to a halt and Jeremy jumped down. “I don’t think it’s safe to go any further,” he called, looking out toward the river.
The others rode up beside him and dismounted, joining Giles and Adalyn as they got out of the carriage.
All four stood aghast at the water in front of them.
The bridge remained, but only fish would be using it, since the first few feet on either side were submerged. Ripples showed that the river itself was still moving; in fact every now and again branches could be seen in the centre, swept along by the current that flowed strongly beneath the surface.
Some snagged under the bridge, but were eventually passed on downstream. Adalyn could clearly see their worries were valid, and turned to the men. “I don’t believe we need put up a warning sign,” she looked back at the flooded area. “It speaks for itself. We should make all haste to Old Harry’s place and see if that runoff or whatever it is will work.”
“Anything to stop it from getting worse,” added Evan, his eyes wide. “It’s never ever looked like this.”
“Right then. Let’s go.” Giles turned and hurried back to the carriage, and everyone took that as their cue to move onward.
“You’ve heard of no injuries yet?” Adalyn shot Giles a worried look as she clambered up beside him.
“The worst hit just after dawn,” he replied. “As far as I can determine, last night the road was still passable.” Leaning back he sighed and stared out at the bleak prospect. “Obviously nobody will be able to get near the bridge today, so that worry has been lifted, thank God. And I’m hoping word will spread so that nobody comes this way after dark either. It’s always a risk, but most people are sensible about such things. And the news is probably making the rounds as we speak.”
“Yes. For a bad situation, it apparently happened at the best time, if that makes any sense.”
“It does.”
Silence fell for a while as the land rose a little and their pace declined as it did so. The lanes were now slippery as well as muddy and both carriage wheels and horses’ hooves had to work hard for a grip.
It seemed like days to Adalyn, but in reality was probably no more than an hour or so before they slowed.
She heard Daniel call to Jeremy. “That way?”
The horses turned onto a narrow and rutted pathway as branches and shrubbery smacked against the side of the carriage. They drew to a halt and Adalyn opened the door, jumping out and sinking into sodden turf. She could hear the river running fast somewhere, but couldn’t get her bearings.
“Where is it?” Giles demanded of the others. “Where’s the sluice gate? Or whatever’s holding the river where it is?”
“I don’t know, let me look…” Daniel took off into the undergrowth, followed by Jeremy and Evan.
She surveyed their surroundings. They stood in the centre of what might have been a front garden. There was a pile of rotting timbers further back and several scraggly trees had grown through and around them. This must have been where the original cottage had been built. She could see the little lane quite clearly, but road beyond was hidden. It was private, probably lovely in good weather, and she could understand Old Harry’s desire for peace and tranquillity in his declining years.
But the river would indeed have been a threat.
“Anything?” Giles shouted.
“Not yet,” answered Evan from one direction.
“Nor here,” said Jeremy from another.
Daniel was silent.
“Daniel?” Adalyn called, a shiver of concern running over her spine. “Daniel? Did you find anything?”
More silence… then “Here. Over here.”
She heaved a sigh of relief as she heard his voice and joined Giles as they headed toward the spot it had come from.
Pushing aside two large rhododendrons, Giles let her through and they found themselves on the river bank, looking down at the fierce torrent that was the Wolf river in spate.
“Be careful,” he automatically extended a hand to Adalyn.
“I’m not moving,” she replied firmly.
They were still several feet above the waterline, so flooding here was no danger at the moment, but it was slippery and dropped off very sharply. She meant what she said. Moving would be a bad idea.
But it didn’t stop Daniel, and Jeremy and Evan were soon standing beside him.
“It’s a runoff, all right,” called Jeremy. “Set deep into the bank.” He pointed off to his left. “If we can open this gate, there’ll be a place for some of the river to go…”
“Follow that channel,” ordered Giles. “Stay safe but see if you can find out where it leads. I don’t want to avert one flood and then start another…”
The three moved onward, and Adalyn guessed that they were now off Wolfbridge land. She couldn’t recall who owned this portion of the countryside, or what the landscape looked like. Most likely there were more gentle hills, since the natural curve would take them that way. The trees were just too tall for her to make out what lay on the other side of them.
Impatiently, she waited, while Giles stared both up and downstream.
Finally he spoke. “It looks as though the rain in the hills is every bit as heavy as it is down here. Which explains how bad the flooding is.”
Feeling helpless, she could do nothing but nod, and worry about the other three. They had yet to return.
“Giles,” she spoke his name, more for comfort than anything else. “Will they be all right?”
“Of course,” he answered. “They are simply doing reconnaissance.”
“I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to…”
“Nothing will happen to them, Adalyn,” chided Giles. “Be strong for them. As they are strong for you.”
“I’m trying,” she protested. “But I’ve lost one, albeit temporarily. I cannot but worry for the others.”
He gazed at her as if seeking to read her thoughts. “Indeed.”
Jeremy came back into sight. “Good news. It looks as though this channel feeds down beneath the surface. We followed it as far as we could and off in the distance there’s a small lake between two hills. All farmland.”
“So it’s possible that the water from the runoff spills into that lake?” asked Giles, a worried frown creasing his brow. “Are you sure?”
“There’s nowhere else it could go, unless there is an underground chamber of some sort. Do you know of caves in this area? Because I don’t.” Evan answered Giles’ question.
Daniel brought up the rear. “I agree. This channel diverts water into the lake. It might well have been first used for irrigation or watering cattle during dry years.”
Adalyn huffed out a chuckle. “Dr
y years? What are those?”
“Good point.” Daniel managed a grin.
“So all we have to do is open what you called a gate. Where is it?”
“Ah, that’s the worry now.” Daniel moved off, slithering down a little slope and ending up much nearer the water. The bank was not so high there, and Adalyn sucked in a breath.
“Be careful,” she called.
Daniel flashed her a quick smile and a nod before pointing out the problem. “It’s a primitive structure. These beams are holding back a layer of old turf, and the current new bank that has built up around it over the years. We have to free it to allow the water through.”
“Well then, let’s get at it.”
Jeremy and Evan clambered to Daniel’s side and surveyed the two cross beams that held it all in place. At one point it must have been completely nailed tight, but with the passage of time the boards had rotted away, leaving only the crossed spars which were secured with iron bolts. On either side there were heavy iron latches, much like those Adalyn had seen on the gates of fields. But these were bigger and had rubbed a niche for themselves in the solid beams that sank down into the earth and fixed the entire system.
“It’s an enormous gate, isn’t it?” She stared at the contraption.
“It is that,” nodded Jeremy. “She’s going to be a devil to open, too.”
“I’ll get the tools,” said Evan.
The other two threw off their coats, ignoring the cold drizzle.
“Adalyn, you must keep out of the way. Somewhere secure.” Giles looked around and found the nearest tree. “I want you there, by that trunk. You can see everything, but I daren’t take the risk that the bank will collapse once we free that gate. If the water comes in fast, as I think it might, it will sweep everything before it. So up there you should be out of its path.”
“But what about you all?”
She was seriously concerned now; this venture might save lives, but it might also claim lives. That thought was unbearable.
“We can look out for ourselves and each other. But knowing you are safe allows us to do what we need to do without worrying. So please…” Giles’s expression was a mix of worry and desperation. “If we are to do this, keep out of the way?”
She nodded. “All right. I understand. But for God’s sake be careful.”
“We will.” He joined the others.
They began by clearing the accumulated debris around the latches and as they freed the iron, some of the material between the river and the gate showed signs of crumbling.
“It won’t take much,” shouted Evan.
“I think the water will pound its way through once we get it started,” added Jeremy. “Be ready if it does.”
Daniel stood next to the gate, swinging a large mallet and weakening the main post. The rhythmic sound of his strokes rang in Adalyn’s ears and she found herself clinging to the tree, desperately anxious that it wouldn’t work—and greatly afraid that it would.
With all four men working to loosen the latches and clear away the old turf, twigs and mud, it wasn’t long before a shout told her that there was water coming their way.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “Keep them safe…”
“I think…”
“Look out…”
Suddenly, with a shrieking of ripping wood and the roar of angry water, the gate gave way and the Wolf river eagerly sought a new avenue of escape.
Jeremy and Evan jumped free, leaping backwards and knocking over Giles as they did so. All three struggled in a tangled heap on the wet bank.
But Daniel…where was Daniel?
Adalyn’s heart stopped, then started again at triple its normal speed. “Daniel…” she screamed. “Daniel…where are you?”
Heedless of the risks, she let go of the tree and slithered down to where the river was now whooshing past her in its new direction. “Daniel,” she screamed once more, running along the edge, pushing branches out of her way.
She couldn’t lose him. Not Daniel…he was her love, her dearest heart. If she lost him…she couldn’t survive…
There were voices behind her calling her name and Daniel’s…but still she did not stop. If she couldn’t find him before this channel went beneath the ground…
Her mind blanked as her eyes searched the water and the banks for any sign of him.
“Adalyn…”
“It’s him. It’s Daniel…”
Her shriek brought the others running even faster to her side, and she pointed to a sharp bend. “There. Look…the gate has caught on that low branch and he’s hanging on to the wood…” She hopped from one foot to the other. “The rope. You had a rope Jeremy. Throw him the rope…”
Jeremy, who had indeed brought a rope, had to go back for it, because it was up by the entrance to the runoff channel.
Adalyn wanted to scream again, but instead she called out to Daniel. “We’ll have you safe in a few moments, Daniel, don’t give up…keep holding on…”
“I will.” He cursed. “The damn wood is splintering. Hold your breath, love, I’m going to try to grasp the tree instead.”
The roar of the water was deafening, a thunder that drummed into her ears and pounded ceaselessly at everything in its way.
She held her breath, clenched her hands together and prayed with everything she possessed, as Daniel freed one hand and tried to lift himself high enough to grab the branch of the overhanging tree.
The first time, he failed.
A sob of terror stuck in her throat.
But the second time, he reached it, wrapping his fingers around it and pulling himself away from the wood. One final kick and he was free, able to work his way toward the bank and the safety of the thickest branches.
“Daniel,” she whispered, her heart still pounding with fear. “Hold on, my love.”
As if he heard her, he looked up, his hair streaming with water his hands white where they held him steady. “I love you,” he said.
She understood the words even though they were muttered over the raging waters. She heard them with her heart and her soul. “I love you too.”
“I have the rope.” Jeremy stumbled down, panting and holding a sturdy length around his shoulder.
“Right then.” Giles and Evan worked their way down the bank and managed to throw the end to Daniel, as Jeremy secured the other one to the trunk.
“Pull him up,” said Giles, grabbing the rope.
With three of them lending their backs to the task, Daniel was free of the river and on relatively dry land within moments. He staggered to his saviours and put his arms around them all as they huddled for a brief moment of gratitude.
No words were spoken, but some hearty back slaps were exchanged—and then he was at her side.
She reached for his hand. “I was so…” She couldn’t finish. Couldn’t keep calm and controlled. She just threw herself into his arms and hugged every bit of him she could reach.
Then her determined strength finally failed her, and she burst into tears, weeping all over his chest.
After that, everything blurred a little until they returned to their original spot.
“Look Adalyn,” Daniel turned her head toward the river. “See? It’s diverting a lot of water now. The lake on the other side of the hill will be filling up harmlessly, and the flood levels down around our part of the river will fall soon if they haven’t already.”
“We did it.” Jeremy and Evan came up beside them and stared at it.
“We did,” Giles added his mite.
“And we’re all here to tell the tale,” grinned the irrepressible Jeremy. “I would count that as a good day’s work.”
Adalyn finally let go of Daniel. “As would I,” she smiled. “In fact, I think I should give everyone the rest of the day off.”
The laughter was tired but genuine.
She looked at Giles. “Let’s go home.”
He nodded. “A good idea, my Lady. But I will ride. I think Daniel deserves some time off his
feet. After all, he’s been swimming today, and he was never too good at that, if I remember correctly.”
Daniel grinned at the gentle jest. “You’re right. I wasn’t much good at swimming. But today, I thank God I could at least stay afloat…”
Adalyn hugged him again and then led him to the carriage as the others untied their mounts and readied themselves for the trip home.
When the door closed on them, Adalyn let her feelings show. She reached for Daniel’s head and brought it to hers, kissing him with all the passion and fear and worry that had built up inside her.
Daniel responded with the same enthusiasm, and neither came up for air for several minutes.
“I thought I’d lost you,” she breathed, touching his face with her hands.
“Never. You’ll never lose me,” he said, kissing her again. “That’s a promise.”
“I’ll hold you to it,” she smiled, letting him go and settling beside him. “So I hope you mean it.”
“Can you doubt it?”
She glanced at him, struck by the serious expression on his face. “Daniel?”
“I am yours, Adalyn. For eternity. Yes, I mean it. And yes, I love you that much. Come what may, I will always be yours.”
Inside Adalyn something turned over, settled and warmed her.
Perhaps her future had just taken care of itself.
Dear Diary,
I am in love. Really in love. I believe I have found the man who will fill my life with joy.
Although these are words that any woman would relish, they are still causing me some concern, since my situation is - well it is not that of any other woman.
Let me relate how these things have come about, since the recent days have been interesting and quite full of adventure, compared to some of my other entries.
Being confronted with a dire emergency, the results of which might have been disastrous, I had to think fast about matters of which I knew nothing. Nobody has ever looked at me for suggestions or answers in a crisis, and the fact that I was able to help in any way, no matter how small, has been a great triumph for me. The thanks and hugs I received after my small efforts on behalf of my tenants are gifts worth more than any gold or jewels.
