Chapter Six

Thane

Thane's boat was nearly halfway to the outcroppings when he heard a loud splash from behind him. He spun around and cursed as loudly as he could. "Mora, horse's bollocks, but could you not do what you are told, for once?"

His sister dove beneath the water like a fine mermaid, then when she broke the surface, she tipped her head back and spewed a long fountain of water from her mouth.

"Shall we turn around, Thane?" Artan asked.

"If we do, the lass on the rocks will surely drown. She cannot stand on her own in the water," Brian said, pointing to her as she slipped and fell underwater again, arms and legs flailing until she got her head back above the surface.

"Mora can swim just fine," Artan said. "The lass cannot."

"Aye, but I do not believe Mora could swim all the way to the outcroppings." Thane turned to look at his sister, then at the lass sputtering behind him. There was plenty of time to get to Mora before the lass would fall victim to the tide. He heard another splash and spun around just in time to see her flail again. And what if she fell off the rock? Surely, he would watch her drown before they could reach her.

He glanced at his sister and her solid strokes, then stared at the lass on the rocks.

"She's no relation to us," Brian muttered. "We have to get Mora first. You know it's our duty."

Thane nodded, knowing his brother was right. He had to choose.

"You are chieftain. You make the choice," Artan said.

Thane knew both men were right. He had to deal with his conscience. "Turn the boat around, pick up Mora, then come back for me."

"You? Where are you going?" Artan asked just as Thane dropped his weapon on the hull of the boat, removed his tunic, belt, and boots, and dove into the water.

Once he surfaced, he hollered back at them, "I'll keep her head above water."

Artan turned the boat around, and Mora yelled at Brian, "Hurry up. It's colder than I thought. I felt a fish on my feet, and I think it might bite me, and I want to go home."

"Then mayhap you should not have jumped in."

"Or mayhap you should have let me ride with you," she shouted, treading water and spitting toward Brian.

Thane grinned but held his chuckle inside, focusing his attention on the lass in front of him. She noticed the boat had turned around; he could see it in her countenance. "I'm coming to help you," he called out to her.

She didn't see him. Despite still being five or six boat lengths away from her, he could detect the panic in her eyes. "I'm here! Here! I'll not leave you."

Her gaze finally caught him, and relief covered her face. The closer he came to her, the more he realized something that he hadn't given a thought to before.

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.