by Karen Abbott
“Good! Now, listen, Gemma! I’m going to let go of your sleeve …”
“No!”
“Yes! I must! I’m edging my way nearer. I’m going to try to straddle over you and slip the rope around you. Try to keep calm! I’m going to call up to Matt.”
“I’m slipping again!”
“Hang on!” She slowly raised her head and looked upwards. All she could see was the cliff above her, not even to the top … and Matt would be further back.
“Matt! Can you hear me?”
Matt’s voice drifted down. “Yes! Are you with Gemma?”
“Almost! Can you let me have some slack … then I can fasten the rope around Gemma.”
“Is your weight secure?”
“Yes.” Her voice sounded surer than her mind.
The rope slackened and a small loop dropped down.
“More!”
“I can’t! That’s all there is!”
“Right!”
It would have to do!
She took a deep breath and tried to look behind them to judge the lie of the slope … but she could see nothing beyond their feet. They must be very near the steep part!
“Hold on, Gemma! I’ve just to get a little lower and then I’m going to pass the rope around your back. I’ll then push the rope underneath you. D’you understand?”
“Y..yes. I think so!”
She slowly descended a little lower and inched sideways until she was able to get her right leg over Gemma’s left leg and find another toe-hold. There! She tested it. It was a good one!
“Hold on. I’m nearly there!”
She took her weight on her right foot and slowly moved her body on top of Gemma. She found a deep fissure for her left fingers to curl into.
‘Please don’t let me fall!’ she prayed, as she tightened her grip and tentatively let go of the rock with her right hand. She felt for the spare length of rope and extended her fingers along it, drawing it up until she could feel the hook at the end.
“Hold tight! I’m going to push the rope under you, Gemma! Try to take your weight onto your toes and ease your body away from the rock.”
“I can’t!”
“You can! Don’t be afraid. I’ve got hold of you if your feet slip!” ‘Don’t put it to the test! Please, don’t put it to the test!’ Had she prayed out loud? She hoped not.
She wasn’t sure if Gemma was capable of doing as she asked but she did it. Eva closed her eyes and painfully pushed the hook between Gemma’s body and the rock. Could she push it far enough? She’d have to!
“Nearly there! Good girl!”
At last, she sensed her hand was completely under Gemma. She released her hold of the rope and carefully withdrew her hand, biting her lower lip at the pain as the rock scraped the skin off the back of her hand.
Another breath … and then find a good grip with her right hand. There it was! Now, let go with her left hand and feel for the hook. Find the safety ring …and snap on the hook!
She sighed with relief.
“You’re hooked on, Gemma … but still try to take your own weight to make it easier on the lads.”
She looked up Matt. “Take the slack, Matt!”
She held her breath. Could they manage it? She felt the rope tighten.
“There!” she said with false gaiety. “That’ll hold us! How do you feel, Gemma? Have you got a good hold? Are your feet secure?”
“I … I think so, for now. My fingers are so cold, though, and my toes are numb. What do we do next?”
Eva considered the question. “How do you feel? Are you capable of climbing up with the help of the rope?”
“I don’t know! I’m scared!”
“I think we need to try! I’ll call Matt.”
She looked up and called his name.
“Eva! Are you both secure?” Matt’s voice came faintly down.
“Yes. Can you hold us?”
“Yes! Try not to slip any further. Can you inch your way up?”
“I’m not sure but we’ll try!”
“Take it easy!”
Eva looked at the rock face. “At least we can see where we’re going this way. See! There’s a hold just above your right hand. Can you reach it? Good girl! Has your right foot got a good hold? Good! Then feel about with your left one. Even a couple of inches will give the boys more rope to hold on to.”
They slowly inched their way up about half a metre, taking turns to move. But Gemma was tiring.
“Have a rest,” Eva suggested. “Help will be here before long. In fact …”
She lifted her head. The faint sound of helicopter blades beat in the air.
The sound came nearer. ‘Oh, please, God! Let them arrive soon!”
The whirring became louder ... and then it was overhead and a rescuer was being lowered down towards them.
Eva relaxed. The rescue was out of her hands now. She simply had to obey orders. The man at the end of the steel rope landed astride Gemma and introduced himself as Dai Evans. After making sure they were both aware of what was happening, he swiftly passed a harness around Gemma and unhooked her from the rope.
“Hold on, miss. I’ll be back for you!”
At a given signal, Gemma and Dai were lifted away from her. Eva turned her head slightly and could see them swinging high above her ... and then they were winched up into the helicopter.
After what seemed another age, Dai returned and swiftly slipped the rescue-harness around her. Clinging to him with eyes tightly shut, she was swung up into the air. Just before they were winched up into the helicopter, she dared to open her eyes. It was like a recurring nightmare, when she felt like she was flying and had landed somewhere high up on a pinnacle with no means of getting down.
She snapped her eyes closed again and kept them shut until she could feel the solid floor of the helicopter underneath her. Once her harness was released, she was wrapped in a warm woollen blanket. A door closed across the open space and the helicopter banked steeply away.
Eva twisted round until she could see Gemma. She too was wrapped in blankets, her face badly lacerated but safe.
Eva immediately burst into tears.
They landed in a field beyond the cliff top and picked up Matt, Craig and Ryan, all of whom protested their fitness but were happy to keep the small group together.
Matt sat by Eva and gathered her into his arms. To her intense embarrassment, her body wouldn’t stop shaking but she was glad of the comfort Matt’s arms gave to her. It was so long since he had held her like this. Her heart and body filled with longing. She realised she had never stopped loving him. She had simply frozen her feelings towards him ... and, over the past few weeks, the ice had begun to melt. Did Matt feel the same way?
She couldn’t tell. He was talking lightly with Craig and Ryan. Eva relaxed against him. They would have time to talk later.
They were taken straight to the hospital. Matt and the boys needed treatment to their hands where they had sustained rope burns. Eva’s hands also needed dressings but she, too, was declared fit to return to the hotel. Gemma had extensive abrasions to the front of her body, the front of her clothes torn to shreds. She was also suffering from shock.
“We’ll keep her in for close observation,” the casualty officer decided. “We’ll get her details from you and take it from there.”
Matt phoned for a taxi and, by late afternoon, they were back at the hotel.
Eva longed to be alone with Matt. Whilst lying in the cubicle waiting for a doctor to examine her, her mind had made a few flashbacks and she suddenly recalled Matt calling her ‘Sweetheart’! He had, she was sure of it.”
Did it mean he still cared for her?
She would have to wait to find out.
Phone calls had already alerted the hotel staff of the cliff top drama and Gwyneth Oliver was there to greet them. Leaving Matt to make contact with Neil, she hustled Eva straight upstairs to her suite.
“What you need, my dear, is a small drink of brandy and a h
ot bath. It will do you the power of good.”
She was right and Eva soon felt more composed. A knock at the door brought Gwyneth back into her room, bearing a tray of tea and biscuits.
“Here you are, dear! What bravery! You’re a local heroine, I can tell you!”
“No, no! I only …”
“Only … nothing!” Gwyneth contradicted her. “We’ve already had the press round, determined to get a photograph of you for the front page!”
“Oh, no!”
“Oh, yes!”
“What shall I do?”
“Have this cup of tea; do your hair, put on your make-up; and smile for all you’re worth!”
“D’you think so?”
“Indeed I do! Think of the publicity for the hotel! Mr. Dagnall will love it! We all will!”
“Are the boys all right? And Matt?”
“All A1 by all accounts and, no doubt, revelling in their share of the glory. Gemma’s parents are coming tomorrow. They will stay here overnight, so I expect they’ll want to see you to thank you for saving their daughter.”
“Or blame me for letting her fall over the cliff in the first place! She was in my charge!”
“The other girls have told all ... but even they weren’t really to blame. Nobody pushed her. She just fell as the ground gave way. And Mr. Talbot is fine, too. Probably aching round his shoulders and got blisters on his hands, but he’ll recover!” She smoothed down the top cover of Eva’s bed and placed the tray on her lap. “Now, get this down you and we’ll see you downstairs in half an hour, shall we?”
The photo call over, Eva took sanctuary in the inner office. From force of habit, she got out the next day’s diary to refresh her mind of what was due to be happening. She supposed the rest of the Activity Week would go on as planned. Which reminded her, how were Steve and Vicki?
She buzzed through to Reception.
Matt answered. “So, that’s where you are!”
“Matt, we need to talk. I know it’s been my fault that we haven’t done so already.” She laughed nervously. “I was afraid to … scared of what I’d have to face.”
“I’ll be right in.”
Eva was standing by the window, glancing out over the cliffs to the sea when Matt came in. He strode over to her and it seemed the most natural thing in the world to step inside his outstretched arms. She could feel his heart beating, matching the erratic rhythm of her own. Oh, it felt so right to be held in his arms once again!
Matt took hold of her shoulders and held her at arms’ length. His eyes seemed to drink her in.
“Eva! I was so scared for you! We couldn’t have held on much longer!”
Eva gave a nervous laugh. “Now you tell me!”
“I wouldn’t have let go!” He held her face in his hands and kissed her on her lips. Before Eva knew what she was doing, she was kissing him back.
It was Matt who broke away and held her away from him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. Forgive me.”
“Forgive you? I don’t need to forgive you. I enjoyed it,” she said huskily. “I’ve been longing to see you on your own, Matt. I’m just so glad our jobs brought us together again.” She hesitated, her courage failing as she took in the expression in Matt’s eyes. “I’d like to think there’s a chance we could get back together. That’s if …”
Her voice faltered. She wasn’t sure at what point the light faded out of Matt’s eyes but they were now empty of any vestige of tenderness.
“I’m sorry, Eva,” he said softly. “The timing isn’t right.”
“Oh.” Her throat tightened. She felt such a fool.
Matt was still gripping her arm. The pressure seemed to be urging an unspoken message to her but she couldn’t for the life of her make out what it was. How could she have so misjudged his feelings for her? She had completely misread him!
She realised Matt was still speaking to her.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “It was a mistake. Please try to understand.”
Eva felt devastated. What a fool she’d made of herself! She was suddenly aware that Leanne had come into the office unannounced.
“Are you ready, Matt?” Leanne asked, her eyes slanting towards Eva as she deliberately flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder, her expression clearly indicating, ‘I told you so!’
Yes, Eva understood very clearly. What a fool she had been, thinking they could pick up from the past! There was nothing to pick up!
“Have a nice time,” she choked.
Chapter Eight
For a few days incoming guests commented on the coverage of their cliff top drama by the news media, some going as far as to visit the spot themselves. The state of the Coastal Path had been declared safe as long as people used their commonsense and kept away from the edge.
After a detailed cross-examination by safety officers, no blame or suggestion of negligence was issued against any of the leaders. The young people involved admitted their own part in the mishap and offered suitable apology to all concerned. Both Matt and Eva agreed with the verdict and had no doubts in providing their new guests with information and maps.
Gemma’s parents came and stayed in the hotel until Gemma was fit enough to travel home with them, full of praise for the part played in her rescue by Eva, Matt and the two boys. Eva visited her in hospital, taking Rachel and Claire with her. Gemma received them gladly, wryly brushing aside Claire and Rachel’s apology for their part in her mishap.
”It was my fault as much as yours,” she magnanimously admitted. “If I hadn’t felt so bad about breaking up with Jason I wouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
Eva gave her a book about sea-birds and asked Gemma to keep in touch.
The school group completed their Activity Week without further mishaps and left with assurances of them being interested in any further ventures run on similar lines in future years. The hotel seemed quiet without them, but it wasn’t destined to remain that way.
Phil’s plans for the first of his Theme Weeks were going ahead. As a simple introduction, the promoters, working in conjunction with Phil, had booked a small group of professional actors to come along and provide costumes for hire, tuition and all equipment needed for the re-enactment of a Mediaeval Banqueting Week.
A wide advertising campaign was launched and bookings began to flow in. Phil was highly delighted, often to be seen rubbing his hands together at the promised success of his venture.
“I told you it would go down well,” he reminded Eva and Matt at their weekly management meeting. “We’ll be almost fully booked!”
It was set for the week after next and another, a Victorian House Party, two weeks later, after which, the summer season would be well and truly under way. Their season’s advance bookings were also going well and the main part of the hotel was now completely refurbished.
William Dagnall paid them a visit and was delighted with the progress so far. “I think a fifteen per cent bonus is called for!” he announced.
“For senior management?” Phil queried.
“For everyone,” Will corrected. “Where would we be without the chambermaids and cleaning staff?”
“I think ten per cent quite adequate for junior staff!” Phil persisted. “After all, they are only doing their jobs!”
“So are you,” Will reminded him.
Phil ungraciously conceded the point and changed the subject by drawing attention to his planned Theme Weeks.
“All fully booked!” he gloated. “With more names on reserve. We could have run it two weeks running! We’ll do that next year!”
“Where’s the reservation list?” Will asked. “How far are these people prepared to come for such an event?”
“It’s a block-booking through the promoters,” Phil explained. “I thought it best to ‘farm it out’, so to speak. They provide the supplies of everything, from people to entertainment; we provide the rooms, food and beverages. Which is why I’ve let them have the run of the place for £35.00 per head, per
night. We can’t lose on it!”
“We’re not making much, either!” Eva couldn’t help observing.
“We are more than covering costs!” Phil snapped. “And it is pre-season!”
“Only just!”
“Well, I suggest we see how it goes for this year,” Matt put in mildly. “If it is the great success it seems to promise, we can change our policy next year and charge a more realistic price.”
“I agree,” Will stated, leaving Eva feeling somewhat marginalized. As if Will seemed to sense this, he continued, “And I’m more than pleased with how the Leisure Club is progressing, Eva. I see we have a growing membership from local people and a steady flow of users within the hotel, both guests and staff. I think the next thing will be to upgrade the golf course and get it up and running as soon as we can. I’ll put that in your hands, Matt.”
“I had rather hoped you would leave that to me, Will,” Phil objected. “I’ve been in consultation with a firm of landscapers. We’re almost ready to exchange contracts.”
“Oh! I didn’t realise that, Phil. I commend your enthusiasm!”
Phil tried to look modest ... but failed. “Just my way of working, Will!”
The Mediaeval Week was an unrivalled success.
Every room was occupied. All the dining rooms took on the air of a mediaeval castle. Mead and mulled wine flowed freely and the guests enthusiastically joined in all the activities. There were courses for mediaeval crafts, mediaeval cookery, dancing, archery and sword-play. A re-enactment society came on the Friday to show how a mediaeval knight’s armour was placed upon him, followed by a re-enactment of a battle scene. This was an open display and many spectators came from the local area and further afield, adding to the hotel’s profits.
To end the week, a banquet was held on Friday evening. Everyone who wasn’t on duty was invited to attend. The provision of costumes was highly commended and most of the guests agreed that their effect was worth the slightly exorbitant price of hiring. They were encouraged to wear them throughout the day in order to fully absorb the period they were re-enacting.
Eva chose a simple flowing garment with wide endings to the sleeves. She wove a plaited girdle loosely around her waist, letting the two long ends dangle from the tied knot at the front and tightly braided her hair to hang attractively in front of her shoulders.