Pay the Devil (v5) by Jack Higgins

Author:Jack Higgins
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-03-16T14:10:54+00:00

He awakened suddenly. Above him, clouds turned and wheeled across the sky and hinted at a break in the weather. She had disappeared. For a moment, a strange irrational panic caused him to rush to the edge of the cliff and then he saw her down on the beach at the water’s edge. A crazily tilted path fell away beneath him and he began a careful descent.

She was standing knee-deep in the sea, and held the skirt of her riding habit bunched in one hand while she splashed in the water with the other like a small child. His boots grated upon the shingle and she turned at once and waded toward him.

“You deserted me,” he said. “I awakened to find you gone, like some enchanted princess in a fairy tale.”

“After you fell asleep, I came down to the beach. The water looked so inviting I couldn’t resist it,” she said.

Her boots and stockings stood on a boulder at the foot of the path. She started toward them and gave a slight exclamation as she stepped on a jagged stone. Clay swung her up into his arms without a word and carried her quickly across the shingle.

When he reached the boulder, he stood for a moment holding her, gazing down into her eyes, her warmth and softness quickening the blood in his veins, and after a while, she turned her face into his chest.

He set her down and said awkwardly, “I’ll go back and see to the horses. Can you manage the path on your own?”

She nodded, averting her eyes. “I’ll only be five minutes.”

When he reached the top of the path, his hands were still trembling. He lit a cheroot with some difficulty because of the wind, and then collected both horses and led them back toward the cliff top. As he did so, she appeared over the edge.

She moved through the long, dry grass and the sun was behind her. He crinkled his eyes and her image blurred at the edges until, when she paused for a moment and looked out to sea again, she might have been a painting by one of the great masters. She looked unreal and ethereal and completely and utterly beautiful.

He dropped the reins and moved toward her, and this time there was nothing of fear in her eyes, only a great warmth, and she came to meet him, a steady, grave smile touching her lips.

She held out her hands, and as he took them, there was a sudden cry in the distance and the sound of hooves drumming on the turf. He turned quickly and saw Joshua approaching at the gallop mounted on the coach horse.

He reined in and wiped sweat from his brow with a large handkerchief. “I’m sure glad I found you, Colonel. Father Costello sent a message up to the house. Says there’s a woman called Cooney having a child in Drumore and she needs you bad.”

Joanna was already moving to her mount and Clay quickly lifted her into the saddle.

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