Ok. Just to prep you, the next chapter is about Collin and Mary giving Nate a nice funeral……..just kidding!!!!! BUT, that doesn't mean Nate isn't dead. In fact…..well, I'll just let you read on and find out for yourselves………….

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Collin looked up into Mary's anxious, glassy, blue eyes and sighed.

"He's very badly injured," he said, softly.

"I can see that, Collin. And?" Mary prodded.

"But he's not dead," Collin stated. Mary let out a sigh of relief.

"Collin, you very nearly scared me to death. Don't do that again." And with that, she sniffed and hastened into the house. A few moments later, she emerged from the small building with a large cup of water in one hand, and a basket of medicine and bandages in the other, nestled up against her hip. Collin smiled and the couple spent the next half hour dressing the young man's various wounds.

When they were done, Mary stood and looked down at the boy, a gleam of satisfaction in her eye.

"Well, Collin, we did well. I think it's high time we try and wake him," she said to her husband.

Collin nodded his head in agreement, he didn't talk much when he could help it, and poured half of the cup of water on the young man's face. The boy awoke with a gasp and looked about at his surroundings.

"W-where am I?" he asked, struggling to sit up. Mary pushed him back down.

"None of that, now," she said, gently. "You're on the moors, in England if you didn't know. I am Mary Boswell and this is my husband Collin Boswell. What's your name, young sir?"

"Nate," the boy answered.

"That's quite a nasty fall you took, young Nate. We've been tending to your wounds this past hour. What were you doing that made you fall?"

Nate was sure the woman was merely curious, but he noticed a strange gleam in her eye that disturbed him.

"I was….that is, I fell. I was in the castle," Nate answered, stuttering.

"What were you doing up there?" Mary pressed. Again, Nate noticed the strange, curious gleam in the woman's eye.

"Oh, leave the poor boy alone, Mary," Collin said, speaking up for the first time. "Maybe his dog ran in there or something and he had to go in and find the poor creature. Either way, it's none of our business."

Both Nate and Mary were astonished to hear so much from the man. Mary straightened, nodded and receded into the house once more. When she was gone, Collin turned to Nate.

"So, Nate," Collin shifted in his seat as he spoke. "You most likely have a destination in mind that you need to get to, but you are welcome to stay with us as long as need be."

"Thank you, Mr. Boswell," Nate said, wincing as he struggled once more to sit up. "But I'm afraid I do have a destination and I need to get there as soon as possible."

"Well, in that case, I won't detain you," Collin replied, helping Nate to his feet. "However," on behalf of my wife and myself, I must say we would like for you to stay for supper. Marry is preparing the table for three this very minute."

Nate smiled.

"Supper would be wonderful, Mr. Boswell."

"Collin," Collin inserted, hurriedly. "I insist you call me Collin."

"Thank you, Collin," Nate responded. Supper went by quickly and, while Mary cleaned up afterwards, Collin insisted Nate sit outside with him for a minute while he smoked.

"It's nice to have a little company," Collin said between breaths. Nate nodded and they both sat back in the comfortable, large, wooden rockers.

After a few moments' silence, Collin turned to Nate, staring straight at him.

"I'm not a simpleton, Nate," he said, his face serious. Nate was taken aback.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked, nervously.

"My wife was overly curious and I could tell you were not yet ready to tell two strangers your story. However, I can tell there's something fowl afoot here. That fall you took couldn't have been an accident. You were pushed. But it's ok. You can trust me. Will you tell me the whole story?"

Nate looked straight into the warm green eyes of the friendly, middle-aged man and broke down. He told him everything from when he was about to propose to Linda, to when Caitlyn had him thrown into the gorge. Throughout the story, Collin just sat in still, nodding occasionally as his massive wooden chair rocked his body back and forth. When Nate was done with the tale, Collin jumped up.

"Well, I mustn't detain you a moment longer," he said as Nate rose, painfully. "Is there anything else I can get you before you leave?"

Nate thought for a minute.

"Is it possible I could get a tape recorder?"

Collin stared at Nate quizzically a few moments before answering.

"Yes. I do believe we have one. It's old, but still useful. I'll go and get it."

Ten minutes later, Nate was fully equipped and waving goodbye to Mary and Collin. Collin watched as Nate got farther and farther out of sight. Then, as Nate disappeared altogether, Collin turned to his wife.

"Get me the phone," he ordered; his face grim.

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As Nate walked up to the castle, he glanced up at the large, stone windows. Neither a sound nor a light came from within them. Nate was nearly ready to believe that Caitlyn had taken Linda and abandoned the castle when he heard an ear-splitting scream cut the silence of the night. Nate immediately recognized the voice as Linda's. What had just happened? Had she been hurt or tortured or….killed?

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I am not guaranteeing either that Linda is or isn't dead now. And I'm not guaranteeing that this story has a happy ending. Ha ha ha!!! Maybe about 3 or 4 more chapters left. Is that ok? Oh. And sorry if this was "short."

REVIEWS please. Thanks. You people are the greatest!