The little girl only cried harder. Eliza closed her eyes, trying to decide what to do. Did she get help? Did she go down in the cave with the girl and lift her out? She hated to leave Delia alone.
Gingerly lowering herself into the hole, she slowly dropped down until her feet were dangling as low as they’d go. Then she released the edge and slid down the wall until her feet hit the ground. She’d barely turned around when Delia launched herself into her arms.
Hugging the girl, she held her tight. “Listen,” she murmured. “I’m going to lift you out but you have to go get help.”
Delia nodded. “I can do that.”
Eliza hesitated. She didn’t want to frighten Delia but she’d been in one of these caves before when the water had rushed in. “Tell your brother that I love him. That I could never love another.”
“Which one?” Delia asked scrunching her face.
A laugh burst from Eliza’s lips. “Stone. I love Stone.”
Delia nodded. “That’s good. He loves you too, I’m sure of it. Blair says that’s why he’s been so grumpy because he loves you and he’s afraid you don’t love him back.”
Dear lord. Eliza sat on the floor, Delia still in her arms. Had she told Stone that she loved him? If he knew, would it help him to forgive her? “I do love him back. With all my heart.”
Delia gave her a glowing smile. “You can lift me out, but I could just stay with you. Stone will find us.”
Eliza shook her head. To be a child again.
“Your faith in your brother is so sweet but he might not.” She would have gone on but a voice from below interrupted.
“Eliza.” There was no mistaking that voice. Her back slumped against the wall as relief made her limp. Every time she needed him, he came. It was Stone.
He’d heard enough tonight to kick himself in his own privates. He’d been a fool.
Eliza had been beating herself up for weeks. She’d said a careless word, but he’d intentionally been wounding her with his silence.
And still her parting words were that she loved him.
He’d heard it all, the sound of her voice echoing out of the cave and down to him. He didn’t want to waste time, retracing his steps to the path down the river that would take him up onto the cliff so he just began scaling the cliff wall.
A few rocks were loose but he made it to the opening of the cave with relative ease. Pulling himself inside, he looked up to see both Eliza and Delia staring at him with wide eyes.
Delia gave her a knowing look. “I told ye he’d come.”
“You were right,” Eliza replied softly.
Stone marched over to them, hauling them both in his embrace. “Let’s get out of here.” He lifted Delia out and then Eliza, pushing her until she got a knee on the ground and could crawl out of the hole. Finally he scrambled up the cave’s side and managed to crawl out himself. His body ached but he grabbed both Delia and Eliza up into a hug. “I’ve got tae do something about these caves.”
Eliza gave him a grin. “We’ll build fences,” she said. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Ye will not.” He leaned down and claimed her lips with his. “I’ve been doing a poor job of caring fer ye but that’s about to change.”
“What?” Eliza’s mouth dropped open.
Stone pulled her tighter against him. “Ye said sorry to me earlier, but it’s me who should apologize. I nearly let a single word tear us apart.”
“Stone,” her voice trembled. “I understand. You’ve stood accused your entire life for no other reason than people are fools.”
“And ye lost yer mum without any of the help ye should have had. Ye weren’t judging my face, ye were judging the actions of so many lords in Scotland. But I won’t be that Eliza. I’ll do the right thing by you, my family, the people who depend on me.”
“I know you will, Stone. I’ve known that for a while. It’s why I love you so much.”
The words made Stone stop and he stared down at the woman next to him. “Ye love me?”
“More than anything.” Eliza’s eyes shone with her words.