CHAPTER NINETY FIVE – LOST AND FOUND

Julian extended a hand, bracing himself to haul her out of the pit, but as she grasped his arm, his foot slipped on the slick mud, and he went tumbling in beside her with a mighty splash. Charlotte couldn't help but laugh at the sheer absurdity of their predicament, even as the sound of pounding footsteps and shouted commands grew nearer. "Well, Mr. Preston," she giggled, flicking a glob of mud from his cheek. "At least we're in this together." Julian sputtered, his once-crisp linen shirt now a sodden, mud-caked mess. "Indeed, darling. Though I can't say this is how I envisioned our day unfolding." The sound of the security guards closing in spurred them into action, and they scrambled towards the edge of the pit, Julian gritting his teeth against a sharp pain that lanced through his ankle. With a mighty heave, Charlotte hauled herself over the precipice, collapsing onto the solid ground in a mud-streaked heap. "Julian, hurry!" she gasped, reaching down to grasp his outstretched ha