The lass was beautiful. Even with her hair wet and tangled, she was a beauty unlike he’d seen in a long time. Red-haired with a pert nose, she depended on him to save her. He thought her eyes were blue, but he was too far away to be certain. Or did she have green eyes?
Then he noticed something else as he drew closer, his strong strokes cutting through the water as fast as he could because he feared she’d go under soon. He’d been right as he stood on the cliff.
The lass sported various bruises on her delicate face. A black eye, a bruised cheek, a cut lip were just the things he could see from a distance. Her gaze locked on his and she whispered,“Help me, please. I cannot hold myself up much longer.”
She was weakening, probably from the stress of being tossed overboard, punched, and left to die by someone she knew.
“Stay strong. I’m coming.”
She nodded, but he thought he detected tears mixing in with the splashes of water on her face. If that were the case, then this woman was not as cold and heartless as his mother. He’d never seen her cry, and the bitch was his benchmark for judging other women.
“Who did this to you?” he called out. “Your husband?”
She nodded, but then tried to stand and fell backward, her entire body submerging.
The poor lass flailed wildly, clearly having never been in such a situation before. If she would extend her legs, she’d still be able to keep her head above water.
In her present situation, her panic would kill her.
“Put your feet down. Stand on your tiptoes. You can still touch the rock!”
If she would calm down, she’d be fine. But she wasn’t listening, terror written all over her face.
Chapter Seven
Tamsin
Tamsin fought for as long as she could, but she was losing strength. The man was swimming toward her and quickly, but how long could she hang on? If only Raghnall hadn’t beat her so, then perhaps she would be able to support her weight, but as soon as she stepped on her left ankle, it gave way and she collapsed.
She thought the man spoke to her, but his words were a jumble, the sound of the water hitting the rocks drowning out his words.
Under the water she went again, her arms reaching for anything to grab onto but found nothing. She held her breath, the battle within giving up to fatigue, to her fate.
And then an intense pain shot through her, the pain from her belly too strong to be ignored.
She thought of her sweet daughter, how innocent she was. How the wee lass loved with all her heart, always smiling, happily snuggling anyone. Alana was the only thing that made her fight. The thought of the poor girl being at the mercy of Raghnall and his mother made her kick as hard as she could to reach the surface again. Her foot found the rock to give her a place to propel herself up from, and her face broke through the surface of the cold seawater.
She gasped, clearing the water from her eyes and glancing about, shocked to see the man a short distance away.
“I have you. The boat will return for us, so do not panic. I’ll keep your head above water. Try to calm down.”
As he approached, she grabbed his arms, anything to keep herself safe.
His eyes locked on hers and he assured her, “Careful, now. I’ll hold on to you, but you must trust me. You cannot pull meunder or this won’t work.”
He stood on the rock, lifting her easily, his head well above water. He had to be a tall man. “Once we start swimming, you must allow me to hold you, and I’ll keep you from drowning.”
She nodded, giving in to his wishes. “Please don’t leave me.” She shivered, giving him the chance to grab on to her, to leverage his body in a way to keep her safe. He shoved off from the rock, and she fell against his powerful torso, his arm slipping around her neck to latch under the opposite arm, guiding her until she slid onto her back, leaning against him, his body keeping her afloat, something she’d never experienced before.
His voice stroked her soul as though he was caressing her skin. “That’s right. Lean against me and I’ll support you. Concentrate on keeping your eyes on the sky. Do not look anywhere else. Keep your head tipped back and you’ll float with me.”
Though it was difficult, she did as he asked, tipping her head and staring at the clouds overhead, her body taking on a buoyance she hadn’t known possible.
A voice rang out from a distance. Another boat.
“We have her, Thane.”
She tensed immediately and his grip tightened. “Don’t panic,” he said. “It’s only my brother. He’s talking about my sister. Relax.”
