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Yes, she’d worked in an emergency department for a short time, but working in a well-equipped department was quite different from giving pre-hospital care on a sheer cliff face.
She was so busy worrying about her own abilities that it was a few seconds before she noticed the teenager sitting on the grass. He was shivering and his face was white.
Focusing on his face, Jenna recognised Fraser and her stomach dropped. Suddenly everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She was aware of the guilt in Fraser’s anguished glance, and of Ryan turning his head to look at her.
And those looks meant only one thing—
That it was Lexi who was lying in the grip of the Devil’s Jaws.
Maternal instinct overwhelming everything else, Jenna gave a low moan of denial and stepped towards the edge, unthinking.
Ryan caught her arm in an iron grip.
‘Don’t take another step.’ His hand was a steadying force and his voice was hard, forcing itself through the blind panic that clouded her thinking. ‘Breathe. Up here, you don’t run. You take small steps. You look where you’re going and you make sure it’s safe underfoot. I’ll get her. I swear to you I’ll get her. But I can’t do it if I’m worrying about you going over the edge.’
Jenna stood still, held firm by the strength of his hand and the conviction in his voice.
Fraser struggled to his feet, his lips dry and cracked from the wind and the sun. ‘You don’t understand—she didn’t jump. Lexi was trying to stop Matt doing it—we both were. But he did it anyway—he jumped at the wrong moment. You have to get it exactly right or you hit the rocks.’ His voice shook. He was a teenager on the cusp of manhood, but today he was definitely more boy than man. ‘Lexi went down there to save Matt. We could see him slipping under the water. He was going to drown. Jamie tried first, but he lost his nerve halfway down and now he can’t move. I dunno—he just freaked out or something. So Lexi did it. She insisted. She was dead scared about getting down there, but she said she’d done first aid so she should be the one.’
‘She climbed down?’ There was a strange note in Ryan’s voice and already he had his hands in his rucksack. ‘Fraser, take this rope for me.’
‘You should have seen her—she was amazing. Just went down slowly, hand and foot, hand and foot, muttering “Three points of contact on the rock face…” or something.’
‘She did a climbing course last summer,’ Jenna said faintly.
Last summer—just before everything had fallen apart. ‘It was indoors on a climbing wall in London.’
Nowhere near greasy, slippery rocks or furious boiling sea.
Ryan’s gaze met hers for a moment. ‘I’d say that was money well spent.’
Fraser was sweating. ‘I almost had a heart attack watching her. I’m not good with heights since I fell into that dungeon.’ He looked at Jenna, shrinking. ‘I’m really sorry. I tried to stop her…’
‘It isn’t your fault, Fraser.’ Jenna’s lips were stiff and her heart was pounding. ‘Lexi is not your responsibility. She’s old enough to make her own decisions.’
‘She’s as sure-footed as a goat.’ There was awe in Fraser’s voice. ‘Matt was face-down in the water and she dragged him towards the rocks. She’s been holding him, but he’s too heavy for her to get him out by herself and the tide is coming in. The water level is rising. The ledge they’re on will be underwater soon.’
That news made Jenna’s knees weaken with panic, but Ryan was icy calm. When he spoke there was no doubt in anyone’s mind who was in charge of the rescue.
‘Fraser, I want you to stay here and act as runner. Is your mobile working?’
‘Yes, the signal is good.’
‘Keep it switched on. Dr McNeil is bringing equipment from the surgery. If the helicopter is delayed, then that will change the way we manage Matt’s injuries.’ Ryan stepped into a harness and adjusted it with hands that were steady and confident. ‘Keep the phone line clear—if I need to talk to you, I’ll call.’
Nick stepped forward and caught his arm. ‘Ryan, for goodness’ sake, man, I’m telling you we should wait for the helicopter.’
Jenna couldn’t breathe. If Ryan agreed to wait for the helicopter then Lexi might drown. But if Ryan went down there—if he put himself at risk for her daughter and the two boys…
‘You’re wasting time, Nick.’ His eyes flickered to hers and for a brief moment the connection was there. ‘It will be all right. Trust me.’
And she did. Although why she should be so ready to trust a man she’d known for weeks when a man she’d known for years had let her down, she didn’t understand. But life wasn’t always easy to understand, was it? Some things happened without an explanation.
‘What can I do?’ Her mouth was so dry she could hardly form the words. ‘How can I help?’
‘You can stay there, away from the edge.’
Nick caught his arm. ‘Ryan—’
