An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.
The path had been cut into the cliff, with the sea far below. Edith kept close to the rock while Mr Bell walked ahead, testing each step with his stick. A scatter of stones clicked down the slope. He glanced back, but the path behind them looked no wider than a ribbon. Edith tightened her grip on the satchel and followed.
A dull crack sounded above. Dust sifted from the cliff face and whitened Mr Bell’s coat. He raised one hand for her to stop. The ground beneath Edith’s boot shifted towards the edge. Mr Bell called her name, then moved back towards her, one careful step at a time. She pressed herself against the rock as another strip of earth slid away. When he reached her, he took the satchel and guided her forward, keeping his shoulder between her and the drop until the path widened beside a gate.
Analyse how the writer builds a sense of danger as the travellers make their way along the cliff path. You should consider the writer’s use of language and structure. Support your answer with references to the passage.