"Watch your step, these stones are slippery." Martin warned turning to offer Louise his hand and guide her safely across the remaining flat slabs, which made up Tarr Steps.

Gratefully she slipped her gloved hand into his and moved to stand closer. Together they trod carefully until they felt the welcome firmness of solid ground beneath their feet.

It was mid March and a break in the blustery weather had seemed like an open invitation to take a ride out into the countryside and blow away the cobwebs of the harsh winter. Spring was beginning to push its pretty head up through the cold hard soil and an array of snowdrops waved their stark white petals above the carpet of green.

Louise breathed deeply and slipped her arm through Martin's as a sudden burst of euphoria washed over her. She hugged her cheek against his shoulder and looked up into his handsome face. He smiled gently back at her and lowered his lips onto hers briefly. Above the noise of the river Louise heard the tell tale sound of Martin's bleeper. He frowned apologetically.

"Damn" he muttered "I've left my phone in the car. "You wait here, I won't be long."

Louise nodded her assent even though she resented this constant invasion of their privacy. She watched now as Martin ran back the way they had come and carefully if hurriedly crossed the stones to the other side.

Louise strolled on a little further and rested her back against the trunk of a large accommodating Oak tree. The wild river Barle hurtled along its course carrying with it debris ripped from the nearby trees by the ferocious winds of the past few days. Louise looked back to the stones to see if there were any sign of Martin and she was horrified to see a small child begin to cross from her side to the other. Her scream of "No stop" was whipped from her mouth by a sudden gust of wind. Louise started to run, all the time glancing around her for the child's parents. She reached the stones and began to cross; the child by now was in the middle of the raging torrent and seemed quite oblivious to the danger.

Too frantic to waste her breath shouting and frightened that he may fall at any moment Louise concentrated on reaching the child. Suddenly she lost her footing and the wild depths came up to meet her. Louise grabbed helplessly at the water trying to feel for something, anything, to hang onto and prevent her from being swept along.

There was nothing!

Terror seized her now as she saw her life ebbing away. Her arms were weakening in their desperate struggle to fight the onslaught of this cold violent river. She couldn't scream; the water was invading her mouth.

"I've got you, hang on" it was Martin and he was kneeling, hanging onto her wrist for dear life.

Then she was in his arms and safe once more. Trembling violently she gasped,

"the child, is he alright?" Martin frowned but said nothing. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her before helping her back to the far bank.

"Martin, tell me, is he alright?"

"Is who alright?"

"The child, the little boy I was trying to help."

Martin stopped and turned her to face him taking her cold stricken face in his hands.

"There was no boy."

"Then he must have been swept away. Oh Martin we must tell someone" she was becoming hysterical now.

"There was no boy" he repeated calmly. "I should have told you" he muttered half to himself.

"Told me what?"

"The Legend" he replied.