reasonably and she should at least try to be civil with him. But she was still reeling from the double shock of nearly losing Jack and then of seeing Rafe again.
She watched as Cass selected something from one of the backpacks they’d brought with them and tied it carefully on to the end of a thinner, lighter length of twine. When Cass threw again, the line came whizzing across, followed by a shout of triumph as it cleared the river, the weight dragging along the ground as the twine sank into the water and was pulled downstream.
Mimi ran for it but Rafe was faster and he was already there, catching the weight just in time. Mimi took hold of the twine and together they dragged it clear of the water, pulling it back and winding it securely around the trunk of a tree.
Her phone rang again and there were more instructions from Cass, which Mimi relayed on to Rafe. A rope was hauled across and secured, along with clips and a pulley.
‘I wonder where she got all this stuff from.’ Mimi could see that the nylon ropes were strong and of high quality.
‘It looks like mountaineering equipment. This is a carabiner...’ Rafe was securing the rope around the tree with a no-nonsense-looking clip. ‘Watch your fingers.’
‘Well, give me a chance...’ Mimi whipped her hand away as Rafe tested the strength of the anchor and the rope snapped tight around the tree trunk.
He waved to the party on the other bank and the bag began to move. Slowly at first, and then speeding through the air, over the water. A small pause while it was unclipped on the other side, and then the pulley came spinning back towards them.
Mimi looked at the water, boiling over jagged rocks twenty yards downstream. She was afraid, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her. She cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting across the river. ‘You have a harness?’
Cass didn’t seem to hear her, and Rafe shook his head.
‘Leave it.’ He clipped the second bag on to the pulley. As it began to move, he tugged at the ropes that anchored their end of the line around the tree trunk, assessing their strength.
Mimi knew exactly what he was thinking. Rafe was going to insist on being the one to make that perilous journey, with or without a harness. It had always been this way with him.
He’d been just the same when they’d lived together. Strong, dependable, always the first to get to grips with a problem and always the first to solve it. His quiet resourcefulness was one of the things that had drawn her to him but, after a while, standing back and watching Rafe deal with everything had begun to lose its charm.
And yet she’d done it. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Rafe and she’d tried so hard to be the woman he wanted, someone he’d think was good enough to spend his life with.
Fat lot of use that had been. His family had obviously been hoping he’d find someone from the same background as him—big house, private education, an appreciation of the finer things in life and the money to buy them. They had probably heaved a joint sigh of relief when Rafe had left her.
She wasn’t about to let Rafe walk all over her again. ‘I’ll go first. I’m lighter than you are.’ She spoke casually, even though she knew that the words would be like a red rag to a bull.
‘You will not.’
‘Just watch me, Rafe.’ She threw the retort at him, watching as the group across the river retrieved the second bag. As they did so, a crack sounded across the water. One of the ropes came whipping towards them and she felt herself falling sideways as Rafe tackled her to the ground. The rope described an arc in the air above their heads and flopped down next to them.
‘Ow! Did you have to do that?’ Mimi rolled away from him, straight into a patch of mud. She’d been trying so hard to show him that he didn’t need to protect her any more. Rafe sweeping her off her feet, however dispassionately he’d done it, was the last thing she needed.
‘Nope. Could have just let it take your head off.’ He had the audacity to grin at her.
‘I’m beginning to wish you had.’ She brushed herself down, resisting the temptation to thank him. Instead she turned to the group on the other side of the river, who were standing motionless, staring across at them.
Mimi took her phone out of her pocket, dialling Cass’s number.
‘Sorry about that. You okay?’ Cass’s voice sounded down the line.
‘Yes, fine.’ Rafe was behind her, muttering something about tying her to a tree to keep her out of trouble, and she ignored him. ‘I’m going to try to get to you. I might be able to get through on the other road into the village...’
‘I doubt anyone’s going to get through safely tonight.’ There was a pause. ‘Jack said that he’s getting in contact with the HEMS team. When the rain gives over a bit they might be able to make it. If there’s anything he needs, you’ll be the first to know.’
That was sensible. And, coming from Cass, it didn’t sound like a put-down. ‘Okay, thanks. Give him my love...’
‘Will do. When this is over, there’s a bottle of red with our name on it, if you fancy a night out.’
‘I’ll be there.’ She waved across to the group on the other side of the river and ended the call. Thankfully, Rafe had decided not to make good on his threats and was already unclipping the remaining rope from around the tree, watching as it was hauled back across the water.
‘We’re going.’ It was an obvious statement, but it made Mimi feel good to be the one to say it. Turning away from him, she started to walk back towards the road as the rain started falling again.
They made the journey in silence. Perhaps Rafe was figuring out what he was going to save her from next. When they reached the stricken ambulance, he walked over to it.
‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to tow you out...’ He was peering underneath the vehicle. ‘In any case, it looks as if there’s a fair bit of damage, here.’
‘I’m going to call for a tow truck.’ Thanks, Rafe, but you’re no longer needed. You can go now. Treacherous regret tugged at Mimi’s heart at the thought.
‘Don’t forget the CD safe.’ There was a barb in his tone.
No, she hadn’t forgotten the controlled drugs that the ambulance carried, and she did know that she had to remove them.
‘I’ll let you get on.’ She turned, making for the back doors of the ambulance, and felt his grip on her arm.
‘Let me go, Rafe.’ She pulled against him, but he didn’t relent.
‘What are you expecting me to do? Leave you here with no shelter and no transport?’ He gave an incredulous shake of his head. ‘Think again.’
‘Let. Go.’ Every time he touched her, it was the same. The memories were almost like solid, living things, tearing at her heart and reminding her that once upon a time, in a land far, far away, she’d craved Rafe’s touch.
He uncurled his fingers from her wrist. Not too fast, not too slow. Rafe had always been a master of the art of good timing.
‘Stay
