Two Kinds Of Truth(64)

“Did he tell you he has a child with Ally?” she rasps.

“Aye, that he did, and I also told him what I thought of him.”

Her hand drops, then she gives a weak smile. “I knew I could count on you.”

Once again, I reach inside the rucksack, but this time I take out the coffee.

“Here, sit up and drink this,” I urge, and Maddie coughs and splutters when the hot liquid hits the back of her throat.

“Are ye able to stand?” I ask, and Maddie nods.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Guid. Now we need to get ye checked over at the hospital.”

“No. Take me back to the house.”

“Nah, I cannae do that. Ye need medical attention.”

“I’m fine; just take me home, please.”

I’m torn, but it’s her call. She’s coherent and I can see the colour coming back to her cheeks.

“All right, but if I see any signs of hypothermia or frost bite, you’re going straight to A&E.”

I help her to her feet and she clutches the blanket closer. All I want is to keep her safe. I guide her through the trees: a slow process, the torch not giving much light for two.

“How did ye end up off the trail?” I ask.

“I thought Callum was chasing me so I tried to hide. What about you?”

“I saw something moving in the shadows, probably a deer, but I wasnae takin’ any chances.”

We eventually reach the path and she stumbles. I grab her tighter.

“You’re weak from yir ordeal,” I say, and when she lets out a whimper, I bend slightly and sweep her off her feet and into my arms.

“Thanks for saving me from myself,” she whispers into my ear.

I pull her closer. “Perhaps I was saving ye for myself.”

She snuggles into my chest as I head back to the farm. Maddie’s as light as a feather and easy to carry, the snow my only hinderance, but she’s shivering from the cold. The farm soon looms ahead in the darkness, and when the security light flashes on, Callum comes rushing out and towards us. I’m relieved to see Ally is nowhere in sight.

Callum opens the gate. “Thank God you’ve found her,” he says. “Is she okay?”

“What do you think?” I snap and head straight for the main house, pushing the front door wide open with the tip of my boot and hurrying through to the kitchen. There’s a small fire now burning in the hearth and I place her gently in one of the fireside chairs. Callum’s swift to follow.

“Run her a bath, not too hot, and then find her some warm clothes,” I instruct.

“Anything in particular?”

“Aye, woolly socks and anything thermal.”

Callum nods then heads upstairs as I take off Maddie’s boots and pull off her socks. I hear the abrupt gush of water coming from the bathroom as I feel Maddie’s feet; they’re as cold as ice. Then, when I’m filling the washing up bowl from the sink with lukewarm water, the sound of the bath filling stops and Callum’s boots clatter down the stairs. The front door bangs shut as he dashes off to find suitable clothes from the cottage.

She’s staring right at me when I come to place her feet inside the bowl. She closes her eyes and sighs as my fingers massage life back into her toes and the soles of her feet.

“You don’t have to do all this,” she says, “but it sure feels good.” I get up and put the kettle on, soon making two mugs of steaming hot tea before grabbing a bar of chocolate from the fridge.

“Eat this; it’ll give ye energy,” I say.

She opens her eyes and reaches out for the Galaxy bar. “I’d have to be dead to ever turn down chocolate,” she says with a smile.

I’m relieved to find her in such good spirits. There’s no serious signs of hypothermia and her shivering has ceased. A few more minutes lying unconscious in such extreme conditions and it could have been a different story. I next clean the blood from the wound on her forehead to find it’s superficial. I shake my head in amazement, she’s one lucky lady.

The front door opens and Callum enters the kitchen.

“I’ve brought what I could find,” he says as he lays the clothes neatly onto the kitchen table. “There’s a set of thick PJ’s and a dressing gown. And I’ve brought a pair of hiking socks that are double-knit.”

I glance at Maddie who’s now wearing a grave expression.

Callum goes over and places a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me,” she hisses and shrugs his hand away.

Callum looks startled. “Maddie, please. I understand you’re upset.”

“Just leave me alone,” and she stares into the fire. “What you’ve done is unforgivable.”

“Please, don’t say anything rash. Let’s talk this through.”

Slowly, she turns in the chair, her eyes dark and serious. “There’s nothing to say. You’re five years too late.”

Callum grimaces, his chin dipping towards the floor.

“I tried, really I did,” he whispers.

Maddie shakes her head. “Don’t stand there and lie. You had ample opportunity to tell me about your son. If you’d just told me from the very beginning, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But no; you didn’t want your perfect life to have a blemish, did you? I bet you didn’t even want him until you realised Isaac would be the only child you’d ever father.”