‘He said it would just be a weekend with an amateur in the Highlands,’ Campbell went on, darkly remembering how he had been misled. ‘I didn’t realise quite how much of an amateur you would be, I must admit.’

‘Look at it from the television producers’ point of view. Where’s the fun if both of us know what we’re doing? If you ask me, they want scenes like the one at the top of the cliff.’

‘What cliff?’

‘The one I abseiled down!’

‘That little drop? You could have practically stepped down it!’

Tilly eyed him with dislike. ‘So what’s your charity?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Everyone who’s taking part is doing it for charity. So I’m doing it for the local hospice, and I think Greg was hoping to raise money for mountain rescue dogs or something. You must have some incentive to win.’

Campbell shrugged. ‘Winning’s enough for me,’ he said. ‘But I tell you what. My prize money will go to your hospice if we win, so they’ll have a double donation.’

Double the money. Tilly thought about what that would mean to the hospice. ‘Really?’ she asked.

‘Only if it gives you some incentive to hurry up,’ he said astringently.

‘I am hurrying,’ said Tilly, miffed. ‘I’m not used to all this exercise. I suppose that’s why they picked me,’ she added with a glum look. ‘They thought I’d be just the person to hold you back.’

‘Then I hope you’ll be able to prove them wrong,’ said Campbell, pausing on a ridge to look down at the river below.

His eyes scanned the valley. A television crew was waiting on the other side of the river, but there was no sign of the other contestants yet. They had taken the straightforward route, which meant that his gamble had paid off.

Tilly puffed up to stand beside him. ‘Where next?’

Campbell pointed to the river. ‘Down there.’

‘But how…?’ Tilly’s heart sank as she peered over the edge at the precipitous drop.