Louisa’s head dropped back in Stratton’s arms and he saw that the light had gone from her eyes. His heart was filled with panic as he knelt down and lowered her onto her back. When he released his hand from around her waist it was covered in blood.
‘Louisa,’ he said, but he knew she was already gone.
Stratton made no effort to stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. They had both lost in the end.
He leant down and his lips touched hers gently. ‘Safe journey, my love,’ he said.
A distant shot sounded and a bullet struck the ground close by. Stratton did not flinch. He cared about nothing else at that moment. His world had been shattered and he didn’t give a damn if he lived or died.
Another bullet struck the ground and he got to his feet and looked to the top of the cliff where the shooting was coming from. The tears fell as he stared up at the man who had destroyed the only thing in the world he had ever truly loved. The man he was going to kill if it took him the rest of his life.
Steel, his pistol in his hand, looked down at the tiny figure. He knew that he could never hit anything with his gun from that range.
Deep inside his heart he suddenly felt something - an unusual feeling for him. But he recognised it nonetheless. It was fear.