Pledge in difficult situation (6)
I believe the answer is:
plight
I believe this is a double definition.
'pledge' is the first definition.
(plight is a kind of pledge)
'difficult situation' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for plight that I've seen before include "Predicament, difficulty" , "Promise - trouble" , "Pledge; predicament" , "Alarming predicament" , "Quandary, predicament" .)