Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(32)

Chapter 7


The expression on Seth’s face was a bit tortured as he looked at the house in front of them. A large house and once again made of adobe. Part of it was standing but part had fallen and in front of it a couple of dogs were running up and down whining.

If it had been traditional brick it might have survived, Hannah thought, but it was tipped sideways with the wall on the left as they faced it concertinaed and the one on the right at an angle. The front door had collapsed which brought down part of the wall. Some of the bricks were tilting outwards and sideways. The roof was still on but at the angle at which the house stood. The glass in the windows was smashed where the frames had concertinaed, leaving behind only a slit.

Hannah ran forward and Seth was close behind her. “There must be people trapped in there,” she said, reaching down to stroke the dogs as they drew parallel.

“Yes.” Seth bent to call through. “Is anyone there?”

There was silence for a few moments which meant they were dead, both Seth and Hannah thought. Both realised they were holding their breath when a man’s voice came from inside. “We’re all alright so far but we can’t get out. I’m frightened to try to move the bricks in case the wall collapses. I’ve put Monica and the children under the stairs because that should hold. I can’t really see the damage. Can you?”

Seth stepped back a bit. “To a degree. What we need to do is make an opening wide enough for you to crawl through.”

“Have you got anyone with you to help you?”

Seth looked at Hannah. “Yes. I have someone who is very able. I’m going to your barn to find some tools.”

“Is it still standing?”

“Yes. It seems to be alright. I’ll check when I go in. I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“Who is with you?”

But Seth had already gone and Hannah did not reply. They would see her in the end but not yet, and how could they make an opening big enough for the family to get out? What they needed to do was take out a few bricks but if they did that the whole building might collapse. Maybe the door which still stood? But with that gone the lintel would come down. She walked round the house slowly, inspecting every inch of it.

It was collapsed in many places but not totally in ruins and it must stay that way until the family could get out. There was a cellar, she noticed, because there was a window below ground level which, although it had caved in to some degree, still had an opening which would be large enough for a thin person to slide through. Could they get out that way?

She heard footsteps and walked to the front of the house. Beckoning Seth, she pointed.

“If they’re able to get to the cellar they could come through there,” she said.

“I’ll tell Wilfred. It depends on the state of the house inside.”

“Yes.” She followed him to the front and he called through the small opening where the window had been. As he did so there was a rumble below them and a bit of wall in the front bulged ominously.

“Can you get down to the cellar?” Seth asked.

“I’ll have a look.” There was movement as if someone was sliding across the floor and it was a few minutes before Wilfred returned. “Some of the floor has collapsed but I think I can get Monica and the children through the house and down there.”

“I’ll go to the back,” Seth said.

“Have you hurt yourself?” Hannah asked.

“I’ve broken my leg but my arms are alright so I can lower the children one by one and also Monica.”

They heard sliding once again but nothing further. Running round to the back they reached the window and Hannah put her head through it.

“I’ll go,” Seth said, grabbing her.

“Your shoulders will never get through and we need you outside to pull them through.” She squeezed with difficulty through the opening. “Give me a little push.”

He didn’t want to do that because he might hurt her, he thought, but what else could he do in the circumstances? He put his hands on her hips and thought irrelevantly that women weren’t soft the way they portrayed them in a romantic novel he had seen of his mother’s. They just felt different. Hannah wriggled through, put her hands on the floor and fell in an ungainly sprawl.

“I’m here,” she said.

“Hurry. A few more bricks have just fallen and the wall looks ready to collapse.”

“That is a really cheering remark,” she said, standing and dusting herself down.

“Are you near the steps to the first floor?”

“Yes, but they’re broken totally and the floor above is sagging a bit.”

“I’ll have to jump,” said a female voice from above. “Then you can lower the children.”

“I should jump,” Wilfred replied. “I’ve already broken one leg. What more damage can there be?”

“Two broken legs?”

Hannah looked round and there were two bales of straw stacked in the corner. “Wait,” she called up. “I’ll put the straw underneath.”

“Good idea though they’re heavy. Tell me when you’re ready.”

Hannah pushed the bales with a bit of difficulty and tipped them. She could do with Seth’s muscles but hers weren’t that weak, she knew. She put them in place and called up. “Lower yourself and I’ll catch you.”