Gossamer Cord

He was on the cliff, more than halfway down, holding on to a piece of rock which projected slightly.

The relief was almost unbearable. He had not deserted me.

“Get hold of the rocks on the side there,” he shouted. “See if you can scramble up a little.”

Panting, I managed to take a few faltering steps upwards. Cautiously he descended a foot or two. He was coming close. He leaned down and stretched out his hand.

“Can you take my hand?” he asked.

I tried and failed.

“I’m coming down a little,” he said. “Look out. It’s tricky.”

Very slowly he descended a few feet. Our fingers almost touched.

“Just a minute,” he said. “I have to get a grip here. Now…”

He had grasped my hand and I almost cried out with relief.

He said: “You’ve got to try and edge your way up. There’s a ledge along here…just a few inches more.”

His grasp seemed to be crushing my fingers, but I rejoiced in it.

“Come on. Be careful. Make sure your foot is firm before you lift the other.”

I edged toward him.

“Now…watch it,” he cried.

I was on a level with him.

“Just let me lead,” he said. “Hold on to my coat. I need both hands. And for God’s sake, don’t let go.”

Slowly and very cautiously we moved upwards. The rocks were damp with seaspray and slippery.

“Hold tight,” he cautioned, and I clung to his coat with all my might.

It seemed a long time before we reached that spot where the rock had formed itself into a ledge which was like a narrow seat. It was just a freak in the formation. The rock must have been broken away there, and on the resulting ledge four or five people could have sat huddled together.

It was not very wide, but we were able to sit on it, not with any great comfort, it was true, but it was a haven of rest for me.

“Now, your hand,” he was saying. “Be careful. It’s safe to sit here but watch out all the time. It might have been cut out of the rocks for this purpose. Phew, what a climb!”

I felt my voice tremble. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “We can’t climb up. Look at that rock.”

“You climbed down.”

“I know. It’s tricky. But I know these cliffs well. It’s not the first time I’ve been down here. When I was a boy there was a group of us. We used to dare each other to take risks. You don’t know fear when you’re young. I must have been ten at the time. I got right down and sat on this ledge.”

“I am so grateful to you.”

“You wouldn’t have stood much chance down there, you know. The tide comes slowly into the cove at first and then with a rush. It’s due to the formation of the cove. Are you all right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“It’s safe enough but it doesn’t allow for wriggling. You must keep alert. The least jerk and you could go hurtling down.”

“I realize that.”

I noticed that his thick dark hair was damp with spray and exertion.

“I think,” he said, “it would be safer if you held my arm.”

“Thank you. I’d feel safer, too.”

“What a boon this place is! Look down there and see the way you came up.”

“I didn’t think I should be able to. It looked so hopeless.”

“You were lucky to be at that particular spot. There is just one place where it can be possible. I discovered it long ago. Not that it was easy. You could have fallen and that would have been fatal. I had done it once or twice and that stood me in good stead.”

We were silent for a while, watching the tide slowly creeping in.

“It’s nearly high now,” he said. “Then it will start receding. When it has a little, we can pass along the shore. Then we have the job of getting down. It might be easier than coming up, but we shall have to be very careful.”

“I understand. I just don’t know how to thank you.”

“I’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve said that.”

“I shall be saying it again, and so will my parents and Dorabella when they hear.”

“We’re not yet safe and dry.”

“I feel sure we shall be now.”

“That’s the spirit. It’s no use undertaking things expecting failure. You have been to Mrs. Pardell’s again.”

“How did you know?”

“I saw you leave.”

“Oh…you did last time.”

“Yes,” he said. “I was not far behind you going down into the town. Then I lost sight of you. I had some business to do there which detained me for a time and then, coming along the cliff road, I looked down and saw you.”

“It was idiotic of me.”

“It was…very reckless. Didn’t you know the tide was coming in fast? It is especially high just now.”

“I never thought of it.”

“It is wise to remember such things where the sea is concerned. It can be very dangerous, you know.”

“I do know that now. If you hadn’t come along then, I could have drowned. What can I say…?”

“We’re coming dangerously near to that old theme,” he said.

We laughed and it occurred to me that I had not heard him laugh before.

I was wondering about him. He had been so capable, so knowledgeable. He had nobly come to my aid and nothing would convince me that he had not risked his life in doing so. It was not what I would have expected from him.