The Rock Read Free Page A

won, she could come out now, when a moment later they heard a soft cry in response.
    Realizing where it was coming from, Thommy felt his heart tumble to the ground. Dread quickly rose up to take its place.
    The light was already fading as he gazed up into the branches of the massive old oak tree to see the tiny lass perched on a branch about fifty feet above him. Lord have mercy, how in Christendom had she climbed up so high?
    His stomach churned like he’d just drunk a glass of soured milk, thinking about what would happen if she fell.
    “God’s blood, Ella, what are you doing up there?” Jamie said. “Come down before you break your neck.”
    Thommy thought he heard a sniffle. “I can’t. I’m stuck.”
    “What do you mean you’re stuck?” Jamie said. “Just climb down the same way you went up.”
    “I don’t remember how.”
    She started to cry and Thommy couldn’t take it anymore. “I’ll get her,” he said.
    Jamie shook his head. “I’ll go. She’s my sister.” A fact he didn’t sound very happy about at the moment.
    Jo looked terrified. “Are you sure? It’s getting dark, and Thommy’s the best climber in the village.”
    Thommy winced. He was old enough—and proud enough himself—to understand that Jamie would never back down now. Unintentionally Jo had just thrown down a gauntlet. Jamie was the young lord; it was inconceivable that he could be outdone by a village lad—especially in front of a lass he wanted to impress.
    Jamie removed his velvet doublet and started up the tree. Thommy and Jo were quiet as they watched the lad navigate the lower maze of branches. It was so dark in the canopy of leaves that Thommy could barely see, when Jamie glanced down and stopped about halfway up.
    “What happened?” Joanna said, her eyes round and filled with worry. “Why did he stop? Why isn’t he moving?”
    “I don’t know,” Thommy lied. He didn’t tell her that Jamie had probably looked down and gotten scared. Lads didn’t like girls knowing things like that. Tossing off his own doublet—made of scratchy wool—he started up the tree after them.
    He reached Jamie first. The other boy’s face was pale and his lips bloodless from being clenched so tightly. He seemed to be frozen in place. Some people didn’t like being high up. The future Lord of Douglas must be one of them.
    Ella was still quite a ways above him, but she must have seen Jamie stop and was asking him what was wrong and why he wasn’t moving. His nonresponsiveness was making her increasingly upset.
    “He’s fine,” Thommy shouted up to her. “He’s stuck, that’s all.”
    Jamie met his gaze. Thommy could see his fear warring with his pride.
    “I should have told you not to look down,” Thommy said. “I’ll wager you haven’t been up this high before?”
    Jamie managed to shake his head.
    “Next time, I’ll take you up slower so you can get used to it.”
    Jamie managed a scoff, and Thommy suspected he wouldn’t be climbing a tree again for some time.
    “What’s happening up there?” Jo yelled from below.
    The girl’s voice seemed to do something to Jamie. Some of his fear vanished, and the gaze that met Thommy’s was braced—almost as if he expected Thommy to try to humiliate him.
    “Nothing,” Thommy shouted back down. “His tunic is stuck on a branch, that’s all.”
    The other boy visibly relaxed. He gave him a nod of thanks, and Thommy knew that another bond had been formed that day. Secrets had a way of doing that.
    He was able to talk Jamie down the first few branches, instructing him first to turn and face the tree, and then to slowly and carefully ease himself down to the next branch, with Thommy there to provide him guidance where necessary.
    When Jamie reached a place close enough to jump, Thommy scrambled back up the branches to where Ella waited.
    “Are you all right?” he asked.
    She nodded. He could tell she was scared, but like her brother she was trying not to show it. What