Thankfully Amber found Charlotte was still sound asleep when they got back to the house, so finally she allowed May Jennings to press her into a chair while she bustled away to get some hot water. Up until that time, Amber had been almost numb with shock but as the woman tenderly cleaned her face and tried to stem the bleeding the tears came and Amber couldn’t stop shaking.

‘Have you a drop o’ brandy in the place? It’ll calm you down.’

‘Y-yes, I think Barnaby has some in there.’ When Amber nodded towards the cupboard beneath the dresser the woman fetched it and tipped a generous measure into the hot sweet tea she had just made for her, before adding some to her own for good measure.

‘Now, get that down you,’ she ordered. ‘It’s good for shock.’

Minutes later two policemen from the town arrived along with the doctor and Mrs Jennings directed them to where the rescuers were battling to bring the two men up the cliff face. Barnaby was the first to be carried into the kitchen on the door and when Amber saw his leg bent halfway between his knee and his ankle, she gasped with horror and leaning over the arm of the chair she promptly vomited all over the floor.

‘We’d best get it in position while he’s unconscious because this is going to hurt like hell,’ the doctor said. ‘I’ll need some nice straight pieces of wood as well to use as splints.’ He glanced up at Amber. ‘And once I’ve seen to him, I’ll see to you, young lady.’

Amber nodded numbly; she could hardly take in what had happened but she knew that it was all her fault. If she hadn’t gone out to get some air . . . The voices around her became fainter and thankfully she knew no more.

*

‘That’s it, lass. Come on ’ave a sip o’ this.’

Amber blearily opened her eyes to find herself lying on the settle looking up into Mrs Jennings’ concerned face.

‘B-Barnaby . . .’

‘It’s all right, lass, they’ve set his leg,’ the woman told her.

‘An’ Bertie?’

May Jennings glanced towards the doctor before slowly shaking her head. ‘I’m afraid there was nowt could be done for Bertie Preston.’

‘What? You mean the fall killed him?’ Amber gasped, her eyes wide open now.

May shook her head. ‘No, lass, it were the knife your ’usband stuck in ’is chest that done for ’im.’

‘But Barnaby didn’t.’ Amber struggled to sit up. ‘I was there, they went over the cliff edge but Barnaby didn’t stab him! Bertie dropped the knife when Barnaby dragged him off me. And where is Barnaby?’ She looked around wildly for a sight of him but apart from one of the policemen and Farmer Jennings the room was empty.

‘They’ve ’ad to arrest ’im. He’s been taken to the cells.’