The Secret Attachment

V

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams." Paul Coelho, The Alchemist

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V.

When Katy next opened her eyes, she was blinded by the orange and yellow hues of the sunrise. It was morning. The birds were awakening, and the storm was over.

She lifted her head slowly, realising that sometime during the night, she had leant on Harry's chest. His head was resting back against the rock wall, and he was still fast asleep, breathing deeply and evenly, his mouth slightly agape. She paused for a moment, noticing how peaceful, and youthful, he looked while sleeping.

But her mind was quickly filled with thoughts of panic and fear about having been out all night. Oh, what would everyone think?

Katy very carefully moved off of Harry, every bone in her body protesting it. Just looking at her exposed forearms, she could see the grazes and bruises forming. She slowly got to her feet and shrugged off Harry's woollen coat. As she stood, she felt the sharp pain from her leg wound, and she knew she would not be able to put much weight on it.

She noticed Philip had left the small cave and was grazing on a patch of grass nearby. She could not deny that the thought of borrowing her rescuer's horse did not cross her mind, but then she could not explain her absence without explaining how she came to have a horse.

No, she needed to go home on foot, no matter the pain.

Katy was filled with mixed emotions as she left her rescuer sleeping in the small cave. She was so grateful that he had caught her, tended to her, and had stayed with her. But what came after was foreign and frightening for Katy. Her instincts were telling her to get away.

Katy limped past Philip, who stopped mid mouthful to watch her go by curiously. She followed the path carefully for half a mile, navigating her way around all sorts of nature that had come down in the storm. She walked until the path came out onto the road.

Even though the morning was sunny, Katy still was wearing damp clothing. Were it not for Harry's coat, she surely would have frozen to death overnight. Even more guilt filled her then as the Banes' cottage came into view at the end of the road.

She was still a hundred yards from the gate when she saw the front door nearly pulled off its hinges when Mr Banes, Mrs Banes, and Eliza, came sprinting out the door towards her.

She heard them exclaim cries of anguish as they saw her no doubt horrid appearance. Eliza reached her first, and Katy saw the serious concern on her friend's face. Katy did not think she had ever seen Eliza without an expression of mischief before.

"Oh, Katy, what happened?" she cried in anguish.

Mrs Banes and Mr Banes reached her moments later. She felt their hands on her face, her arms, and her back as they all asked her a dozen questions at once.

"The storm," she breathed, "I was caught in it. I took shelter for the night, but I fell down an embankment and hurt my leg." Among other cuts, grazes, and bruises.

"Come now, my dear," urged Mr Banes. "Lean on me." He took Katy's weight, and she felt such relief in not walking on her injury.

"Katy, darling, we have been worried sick!" exclaimed Mrs Banes as they hurried back inside the house. Eliza went on ahead of them, first holding open the gate, and then the front door, making it easier for Mr Banes to help Katy inside.

"Take her upstairs into our bedroom, George," instructed Mrs Banes. "She must have a bath to warm her insides, the poor girl."

Katy had never before been inside Mr and Mrs Banes' bedroom, nor had she ever used the family bath. A silly, but reassuring thought crossed her mind. She had been right. They did love her.