by one, until she freed the person beneath. Still no movement. Hannah leaned toward the still figure and touched the head. Her hand closed around a heavy braid. Sliding down, she felt the ends tied with twine. She knew at last who lay buried below the rubble. Rosie!
CHAPTER EIGHT – RESCUED
Frantic, Hannah patted Rosie’s cheek. In the murky gloom she could see the girl’s face, still and pale, her cheeks cold to the touch.
“Wake up, Rosie! Please open your eyes,” Hannah begged, but the still form lay unresponsive. How could she get them out of here? Taking off her pinafore, Hannah covered Rosie. It wasn’t much, but maybe it might supply a little warmth from the damp earth.
Looking around, she spotted a piece of broken wood. Pulling herself up, she used the wood for a makeshift crutch and hobbled over to the opening where Rosie had fallen through. The missing pavilion roof allowed a shaft of light to penetrate the gloom, and a soft drizzle of rain fell on her upturned face. She shivered from the cold and wet.
“Help us, please. We’re down here under the floor.” Stopping to take a breath, Hannah heard a familiar voice.
“Hannah, is that you? It’s Uncle David. Are you all right?” Through the small hole, Hannah saw Uncle David’s worried face, already bruising.
“Yes, Uncle David, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re all right. I’ve found Rosie, but she’s hurt. Can you help us out?”
“Yes. Just hold on Hannah. We’ll have you both out in no time.”
Hannah eased herself into a sitting position and looked over at Rosie. The girl had not moved, but her chest rose and fell as she breathed.
True to his word, David Logan appeared moments later, and called out. “Hannah, I’ve got Tom Valentine with me. He’s going to try to get down there and lift you both, but he’ll have to widen the hole. I want you to stand back and cover your head.”
Hannah moved toward Rosie and did as Uncle David instructed. Soon, she heard pounding on the floor above her. Chips of wood fell to the earth nearby, and the light grew stronger as the hole enlarged.
A piece of the flooring fell to the ground beside her and in a moment a soft thud announced the arrival of Tom Valentine, who landed on his feet and grinned at Hannah.
Sweeping his arms wide and making a theatrical bow, he declared, “At your service, ma’am.”
Hannah’s lips trembled but she smiled and said, “Please help Rosie. I think she’s hurt pretty bad.”
“Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll lift Rosie up through the hole to Mr. Logan, then you’re next to go. Is that all right with you?” Tom spoke gently to the girl.
“How will you get her up?”
“Well,” he said, looking around. “I’ll pile some of this lumber up and stand on it, then hand her up to your uncle. Think I can do it?”
Hannah agreed, and watched Tom gather the boards and fashion a makeshift platform.
Lifting Rosie with care, Tom handed her up to David Logan, who leaned precariously over the hole in the floor. David, with the extra weight of Rosie in his arms, turned to leave the pavilion. Just as he cleared the hole, a cracking sound ensued and the weakened floor once again gave way.
Too late, Hannah looked up as the whole section fell. Tom, knocked from his perch, rolled to safety, unable to reach Hannah.
“Tom, are you both all right?” David Logan cried.
“I’m fine, sir, but I’m afraid the boards hit Hannah. I think she’s unconscious.”
* * * *
Above, David laid Rosie on the grass with Margaret and Caroline watching over her. Hurrying back, he picked up the rope, tying himself again to one of the posts that still stood. Leaning over, he looked into the now enlarged hole and saw young Valentine lifting the boards from Hannah. Her face, smudged with dirt, had a small cut on her left cheek, and her lashes lay across pale cheeks.
“Is she all right, Tom?”
“I don’t know, sir, but I think we need to get her to the hospital
CHAPTER EIGHT – RESCUED
Frantic, Hannah patted Rosie’s cheek. In the murky gloom she could see the girl’s face, still and pale, her cheeks cold to the touch.
“Wake up, Rosie! Please open your eyes,” Hannah begged, but the still form lay unresponsive. How could she get them out of here? Taking off her pinafore, Hannah covered Rosie. It wasn’t much, but maybe it might supply a little warmth from the damp earth.
Looking around, she spotted a piece of broken wood. Pulling herself up, she used the wood for a makeshift crutch and hobbled over to the opening where Rosie had fallen through. The missing pavilion roof allowed a shaft of light to penetrate the gloom, and a soft drizzle of rain fell on her upturned face. She shivered from the cold and wet.
“Help us, please. We’re down here under the floor.” Stopping to take a breath, Hannah heard a familiar voice.
“Hannah, is that you? It’s Uncle David. Are you all right?” Through the small hole, Hannah saw Uncle David’s worried face, already bruising.
“Yes, Uncle David, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re all right. I’ve found Rosie, but she’s hurt. Can you help us out?”
“Yes. Just hold on Hannah. We’ll have you both out in no time.”
Hannah eased herself into a sitting position and looked over at Rosie. The girl had not moved, but her chest rose and fell as she breathed.
True to his word, David Logan appeared moments later, and called out. “Hannah, I’ve got Tom Valentine with me. He’s going to try to get down there and lift you both, but he’ll have to widen the hole. I want you to stand back and cover your head.”
Hannah moved toward Rosie and did as Uncle David instructed. Soon, she heard pounding on the floor above her. Chips of wood fell to the earth nearby, and the light grew stronger as the hole enlarged.
A piece of the flooring fell to the ground beside her and in a moment a soft thud announced the arrival of Tom Valentine, who landed on his feet and grinned at Hannah.
Sweeping his arms wide and making a theatrical bow, he declared, “At your service, ma’am.”
Hannah’s lips trembled but she smiled and said, “Please help Rosie. I think she’s hurt pretty bad.”
“Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll lift Rosie up through the hole to Mr. Logan, then you’re next to go. Is that all right with you?” Tom spoke gently to the girl.
“How will you get her up?”
“Well,” he said, looking around. “I’ll pile some of this lumber up and stand on it, then hand her up to your uncle. Think I can do it?”
Hannah agreed, and watched Tom gather the boards and fashion a makeshift platform.
Lifting Rosie with care, Tom handed her up to David Logan, who leaned precariously over the hole in the floor. David, with the extra weight of Rosie in his arms, turned to leave the pavilion. Just as he cleared the hole, a cracking sound ensued and the weakened floor once again gave way.
Too late, Hannah looked up as the whole section fell. Tom, knocked from his perch, rolled to safety, unable to reach Hannah.
“Tom, are you both all right?” David Logan cried.
“I’m fine, sir, but I’m afraid the boards hit Hannah. I think she’s unconscious.”
* * * *
Above, David laid Rosie on the grass with Margaret and Caroline watching over her. Hurrying back, he picked up the rope, tying himself again to one of the posts that still stood. Leaning over, he looked into the now enlarged hole and saw young Valentine lifting the boards from Hannah. Her face, smudged with dirt, had a small cut on her left cheek, and her lashes lay across pale cheeks.
“Is she all right, Tom?”
“I don’t know, sir, but I think we need to get her to the hospital
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