Angry shouts from above had him glancing up.
Several riders peered down from the rocky ledge they’d stood onmoments before.
Bedamned! With several hard strokes, he reached her, hauled her against him.“Are you hurt?”
“Nay,” she gasped.
Thank God. “Swim toward the center of the river.” The spray from the falls splattered them as they worked in unison to guide themselves into the main flow. “Remember, once the current catches us, dinna fight it, but let it carry you. Use your hands to push yourself away from anything dangerous. Once the banks widen out, the flow will lessen and we canswim to shore.”
She nodded.
After two more kicks, the rush of water sucked them in. “Hang on!” Fingers entwined with hers, Aiden matched his strokes with hers as they swam, thankful the deep water kept them well above the rocks.
As they were carried around the bend, Aiden caught the fury on the Englishmen’s faces before they disappeared from sight. The rough terrain would buy them distance and time. He prayed both were enough.
Water swirled around them as the current cast them about with ruthless glee. The bank raced past. Muscles burned in his arms as he fought to keep them afloat.
“Look ahead,” she shouted.
Amid the roar, plumes of white surged in towering blasts as waves slammed against a large tree jammed in the middle of the flow.
“I am going to try to get hold of a branch as we pass,” he yelled. “Once I have a firm hold, climb over the trunk and move to shore. I will be just behind you.”
A hand’s length away, Aiden grabbed a slick branch, braced himself as Gwendolyn rushed past; her body jerked hard. Water streamed down her pale face as the powerful flow threatened to break his hold. “Wrap your hands aroundme!” he yelled.
She reached out.
Thebranch snapped.
* * * *
Gwendolyn screamed as water sucked her under. Fighting the wash of panic, she kicked hard.
Strong hands caught her wrist, dragged her upward. She resurfaced, gasping for air.
Bróccín pulled her against his chest. “Hold on!”
She caught his forearm as they rushed down the torrent.
The greens and browns of the shore streaked past. An unexpected shift in the current threatened to rip her from Bróccín, and he tightened his hold.
By slow degrees, the current weakened. In unison, she swam beside her husband, avoiding the outcrops of rock, limbs and other debris that had fallen prey to the river’smerciless bite.
Around the next curve, the bank again narrowed and the current increased.
“Bedamned!” herhusband cursed.
Bedraggled hair slapping her face, she followed his gaze. Gasped.
Within the violent swirl, clusters of boulders loomed ahead. Large waves hit the massive rocks, erupting into powerful columns of white.
Bróccín’s muscles coiled, and then he shoved her sideways. “Swim hard to the left,” he shoutedover the roar.
Her body aching and exhaustion weakening her arms, Gwendolyn fought against the tireless churn. An eddy ripped her free and threw her into the violent surge, and with a scream, she washurled upward.
His hand clamped hard on hers. “Hold on!”
Fighting for each breath as she tried to keep hold, a dip in the flow again tore them apart. “Bróccín!” Flailing to keep afloat, Gwendolyn searched the water for her husband.
