‘Steven? Steven…? It’s me – Megan. I’m beside the boundary fence. I’m on Ben.’
‘Here…’ Steven called weakly. He knew he couldn’t hold on much longer. The water gate had long since washed away. All that remained was one of the poles set in the river bank. He couldn’t cling on much longer and he doubted if it would hold firm either.
‘I-I can’t see you.’ She edged Ben very slowly alongside the fence, knowing that any minute he might find there was no ground beneath his feet, only the treacherous river. ‘I’ve got a rope…’
A rope! Steven uttered several swift prayers. Hope brought a burst of strength. ‘Throw into… river. Far as you can.’
Megan threw but the rope stayed slack and her heart sank. She urged Ben further along the side of the fence. Then she saw Shandy, standing on his hind legs, his head only just above the water but it was enough to let her know she could take Ben so far. He seemed reluctant to move now. He sensed the danger. She coiled in the rope and threw again. For a moment it tightened. Then it went slack and her heart sank. Steven had tried to reach it with one hand and almost lost his grip of the post altogether.
‘Loop - end.’ He had neither breath nor strength for more. Again Megan hauled in the rope. Her cold fingers fumbled and she struggled to tie a loop firmly enough to stand Steven’s weight and the pull of the river. She threw again. This time Steven grasped it and managed to get it over his shoulder. He was not sure whether he had the strength to hold on to it.
‘Steven?’ The rope was not slackening this time but there was no reply. Shandy barked twice. Megan gave a little tug.
‘Tie to fence.’
‘It’s tied to Ben. Shall we pull?’ Steven took his courage in both hands and let go the pole. He sank beneath the rushing water. He felt it sweeping him away. But he still had hold of the rope with one hand. He could feel the circle and managed to push his other arm through before blackness swamped him.
‘Steven?’ Megan heard herself scream. It startled Ben and he jerked back. The rope was taut. Steven must be holding on. He must! He must! Megan knew the tears were running down her cheeks as fast as the rain.
‘Steady boy,’ she coaxed, her voice trembling. She tried to urge Ben to back slowly away from the river and then to turn so that the weight would be on his shoulders and the collar. The rope stayed tight and she could feel the pressure on it but why didn’t Steven call to her? Ben moved again, and then another step, and another. He was so obedient, almost as though he understood. Then Shandy was barking frenziedly, swimming now towards the rope.
‘Steven! Oh dear God please don’t let him die now,’ she sobbed and slid down from the horse’s back. It was a shock to find herself in water up to her chest. It was icy cold but she could see Steven with the rope around his shoulder and one arm. She clung to the fence as she waded towards him. She cupped his head in her hands, holding it above the water. Shandy swam closer and tried to lick his face. ‘Steven, oh Steven, please don’t die,’ Megan whimpered. ‘I love you so much. Pl-please don’t die.’ She was rubbing his cold cheeks instinctively. She had to get him on the horse, but how? Shandy swam beside the fence. Again he stood on his hind legs to keep his head above the water. Holding the rope and Steven, she urged Ben closer. He obeyed. Now if only she could hoist Steven onto his back. She knew it was a forlorn hope but she had to try and at least it was something to hold on to for she could feel her own limbs trembling and her arms felt as though they had been pulled from their sockets. Ben moved forward and the rope tightened again but it helped. Moments later Megan was panting against the fence as she hauled Steven half over it. She rubbed his back and pummelled his shoulders.
‘Open your eyes, oh Stevie please open your eyes.’ He began to cough up water. Shandy had pulled himself along the fence to them and he barked ecstatically, trying to lick Steven’s face. Megan continue rubbing his back, crying and praying at the same time. Shandy nuzzled against him, as though willing him to speak. He opened his eyes. He coughed again, bringing up the river water.
‘Megan…?’ he gasped.
‘Yes, I’m here. Oh Stevie.’
‘Not dreaming?’ He screwed his eyes tight shut and coughed up more water as she rubbed and pummelled. When he had caught his breath he twisted his head to look at Megan and the torch which was shining in every direction as she moved. He could see her small even teeth gleaming whitely as she gnawed her lower lip.
‘Are we safe?’ he croaked.
‘We need to get you home and warmed up,’ she said. ‘Do you think Ben can carry both of us?’
‘Of course he can.’ He coughed and tried to get his breath. He felt wretched.
‘But how shall we get onto his back?’
Steven tugged the rope from around his shoulders and hauled himself slowly to the horse’s shoulder. Megan sensed he hadn’t much strength left but he patted Ben’s neck and spoke to him, then he pulled him parallel and very close to the fence. Megan felt trapped he was so close and so big.
‘Put one foot on the fence and jump. I’ll steady you, Megan.’
‘But you, Steven…’
‘Don’t worry about me.’
Megan clung to Ben’s harness and did as Steven told her, springing away from the fence and hauling herself over his broad back. She was no sooner straightened up than Steven put his foot on the fence post and she was pulling him up behind her. For a moment he sagged against her, breathing hard and coughing.
‘Wrap the rope around both of us and tie it fast to his collar,’ he gasped, and Megan knew he was uncertain whether or not he had the strength left to hold on until they got home. She did as he instructed but before she could take hold of the rein, Shandy gave one joyous bark and sprang up, wedging himself in front of her and currying down on Ben’s broad back. In spite of the trauma, and shivering with cold, they both burst out laughing.
‘If we hadn’t been soaked before we’d certainly be very wet now,’ Megan chuckled. ‘But he deserves a ride. He saved your life Steven. I wouldn’t have known where you were but for Shandy.’ She felt Steven’s arms tighten around her and he leaned forward to press his icy lips to her cheek.
‘You saved my life, Megan,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I can never repay you for what you’ve done tonight, my darling girl.’ His voice was hoarse from coughing but when he recovered his breath he went on. ‘I thought I was going to die and I’d never told you how dear you are to me.’ He coughed and gasped to get his breath but then she heard him say softly. ‘It was my greatest regret. You would never know how much I love you.’
‘You do?’ Megan twisted round to see his face and almost tipped the three of them into the water as Ben plodded steadily on.
‘Steady sweetheart! We’ve had enough bathing for one night.’ His arms tightened and he fell silent, gathering his strength. She could feel his head against her shoulder. She urged Ben on as fast as he could go through the water. She knew Steven urgently needed warmth and rest, but she also knew this was a time for truth.
‘I think I’ve loved you all my life Steven but I hardly dared hope you would ever love me – not – not as a woman anyway.’
‘What a place to say such things,’ Steven croaked. His voice was husky and Megan didn’t know whether it was with emotion or coughing up river water. ‘I’ve nothing to offer you except my life.’
‘Oh Steven, Your life is the most precious thing in the world to me. I thought I was going to lose you tonight and I know now you’re all I’ll ever want.’
‘Dearest Megan, how can that be when you have so much choice?’
‘Choice? You must know there is only one choice for me and that’s to share my life with you. Don’t you know how afraid I am that you might choose someone else to be your wife before I can even finish at college?’
‘No, no. I’d wait for you forever if I believed you wanted to marry me.’ They were both silent shivering with cold in the icy wind, but then Megan half turned towards Steven and stroked his cold cheek with equally icy
fingers. ‘I don’t want you to wait any longer than we must but I hate to let Mum down when she has set her heart on me qualifying to be a teacher.’
‘I understand that, Meggie, and I agree. It is one of the things I love about you – the way you consider people, so tender and generous too. There’ll never be anyone else but you, Meggie however long I have to wait. Only promise me you will marry me when the time is right, my love?’
‘I promise a thousand times over,’ Megan called, laughing in spite of her chattering teeth and shivering limbs. ‘Steven this has been the worst and the best night of my life,’ She caught her breath on a little sob.
‘The water’s getting shallower,’ Steven said with relief. ‘Ben has carried us through.’
‘Yes, you’re a fine fellow,’ Megan breathed with relief as she leaned forward to pat the horses neck. Ben seemed to understand. He was already clear of the water now and moving faster up the incline towards home.
‘There’s lights ahead,’ Steven said. ‘I almost despaired of seeing any of this again.’ His arms were locked around her as Ben carried them home. He leaned closer and cupped her chin gently to turn her face to his. Their skin was so cold but as their lips met heat flared between them.
‘We’ll soon be home now. We must get dried and warm again, Meggie,’ Steven said huskily.
‘And you too… What was that?’ Ben also pricked his ears and Shandy stirred.
‘It sounded like voices.’ They saw the flickering light of a torch and as they drew nearer they could make out the figures of men making their way towards the river. Megan switched on the bicycle lamp and flashed it ahead.
‘We’re here! We’re safe…’ Steven tried to call and ended up coughing while his chest heaved in protest. Shandy jumped to the ground Barking joyously as he ran towards the men.
‘Megan? Steven?’
‘That’s my father!’ Megan said in astonishment. ‘Whatever can he be doing here. How…? Dad, we’re here! We’re both all right.’
As they drew nearer, Steven recognised Jimmy Kerr and his father with their collie dog at their heels, and the taller, slimmer figure of John Oliphant. As soon as they drew near enough for speech, he said, ‘Thank God you’re both safe.’ His voice shook and Megan was unsure whether it was rain or tears running down her father’s face. The men walked the rest of the way home beside them.
‘What are all the lights?’ Steven asked.
‘The McGuires were worried sick about you. We all were,’ John Oliphant said. They telephoned your mother, Steven. She came round by Martinwold and brought us with her. We’ve just arrived. We were coming to search.’
‘Shandy showed me the way,’ Megan said, her voice wobbling now as she began to feel the reaction.
‘Good boy!’ Mr Kerr said warmly. ‘I knew he’d be a good friend to ye lad.’
‘He is – one of the very best a man could have,’ Steven agreed fervently. ‘Megan saved my life.’
‘Only with Shandy’s guidance, and thanks to Ben, and to Mr McGuire’s advice,’ Megan said tremulously.
‘Run ahead, Jimmy. Tell them they’re both safe, even if they do look like drowned rats,’ Mr Kerr said. ‘Steven, your mother and Mrs McGuire will probably strip the clothes off your back and bathe ye like a bairn,’ he grinned. When Steven drew Ben to a halt, Megan almost fell into her father’s arms. Now they were safe she couldn’t stop her teeth chattering with nerves and cold and her legs felt like jelly. She thought she might never be warm again.
‘I’ll take your horse to his stable, Steven,’ Mr Kerr said. ‘I’ll rub him down well and give him some feed. He’ll be all right with me.’
‘Thanks,’ Steven said croakily. ‘Thank you all.’
‘Get inside and into a hot bath, lad. It’ll be a wonder if ye dinnae get pneumonia. You’ve had a lucky escape.’ But Steven clung to Ben. He knew his legs were shaking so badly they wouldn’t hold him up. John Oliphant relinquished his daughter to Chrissie and came back. He hugged Steven tightly.
‘Thank God you’re alive, lad. I couldn’t bear to lose you as well as Sam,’ he said huskily and half carried Steven towards the house.
Chrissie was weeping silently as she hugged Megan tightly in her relief.
‘I’ll never never pester you again, lassie about finishing college. I’m so thankful you’re safe. We both are.’
‘You’re getting wet, Mum,’ Megan said softly, ‘ and I’m all right, really I am.’
‘Mrs McGuire is running a hot bath for ye and I brought dry clothes, but we must get ye home and into bed.’ She turned away to follow Mrs McGuire but Hannah took Megan in her arms and held her gently.
‘You saved his life, lassie. I’ll never be able to repay you for that as long as I live,’ she said with quiet sincerity, ‘and neither will Steven.’
***
A little while later Steven lay in a hot bath in his own tiny bathroom while Megan bathed at the McGuires, each wondering whether the other had really meant the words of love they had uttered in the midst of their relief, and if they did, where could they lead? What could their future hold?
Nineteen
Steven longed to speak to Megan again before she went home but he knew his mother was right, she needed to get home and into bed, and so did he.
‘I’ve put an oven shelf in your bed to warm it up. I’ll bring you a hot drink,’ Hannah told him firmly. ‘Mr McGuire gave me a tot of whisky. He reckons it will ward off the chills and help you sleep.’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ he agreed wearily. He ached all over and he knew he would have plenty of bruises by morning.’
‘I’ll stay tonight and go home early in the morning,’ Hannah said, ‘so don’t argue. I want to be sure you don’t develop pneumonia.’
Hannah not only stayed overnight, she helped Steven milk his cows and cooked him a hot breakfast before she went home to attend to her own pigs and poultry.
‘If you’re wise you’ll go back to bed, Steven. You look exhausted and you’re going to have a nasty bruise on the side of your face.’
‘That’s the least of my worries,’ Steven said. ‘I must check the sheep and make sure they’re all there. The owner is taking them back next week.’
‘And good riddance I should say,’ Hannah said with feeling.
‘Then I must see Megan, Mother. She will be going back to college tomorrow if she is well enough. I owe her my life and I never thanked her properly.’
Hannah studied him in silence, then she said, ‘You really love Megan, don’t you, son?’
‘Yes, I do…’ He twirled a teaspoon round and round until it fell on the floor with a clatter. ‘I love her with all my heart. I’d like to marry her but what have I to offer a wife? And Megan has another year of studying to do, and she will have a good career when she finishes at college. I’d be selfish to ask her to give that up to marry me and slave away here.’
‘I do understand how you feel, laddie, but if I was Megan I’d like to be given the opportunity to decide what I wanted to do with my life. You owe her that at least. I think she must love you very much to risk her own life as she did last night. The McGuires were convinced you must have both been drowned and washed away with the tide. They were in a terrible state when Annie telephoned. That’s why I went to get Chrissie and John and brought them with me in the van.’
‘Yes, I must see them all as soon as I’ve finished here,’ Steven said.
‘I understand, laddie,’ Hannah nodded. ‘If you insist on going today will you call in at Willowburn before you go to Martinwold. There’s something I’d like you to see.’
‘Today? Is it urgent?’
‘Not urgent, but important I think.’
***
It was early afternoon by the time Steven arrived at Martinwold and Chrissie Oliphant watched Megan’s face light up at the sound of his motor bike.
‘I told you he’d come, lassie,’ she said softly. ‘I believe he loves you as much as you love him.’
‘Y
ou guessed, Mum?’
‘Your dad and I have known for some time. Anyway we couldn’t miss the way you look at each other, even if you hadn’t risked your life for Steven last night. When I thought you might both have drowned, and never known what it was to love each other, I knew then that nothing else mattered. I vowed I would never badger you again to go back to college or to have a career unless it was what you wanted.’
John Oliphant had seen Steven arrive and he crossed the yard to ask how he felt after his ordeal.
‘I’m fine, but how is Megan?’ he asked anxiously. ‘She saved my life you know. I never got the chance to thank her properly last night, and I know she goes back to college tomorrow.’
‘If she saved your life, Steven, it’s because it’s as precious to her as her own, and to us. Chrissie and me… well we both realised that when we thought we might have lost you both.’
‘I know,’ Steven said quietly. He looked John Oliphant in the eye. ‘I love Megan more than anything on earth, but I’ve nothing to offer her as things are. She has all the prospects of a good career and a well paid job. I’m seriously considering giving up my farm and getting a job myself.’
‘Eh laddie, don’t do that! You wouldn’t be the same without your wee farm. Anyway Megan is as keen as you are. At least discuss it with her and give her a choice.’
‘That’s what my mother said,’ Steven exclaimed, looking at Megan’s father in surprise.
‘She’s a wise woman, your mother. Let’s go in or Megan will be rushing out to rescue you again,’ he grinned.
‘Maybe we should go for a walk so we can talk things over…’
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