“W-will you hurt me if I free you?” The words tumbled from her mouth even as she began to use the knife on the binds at his feet.
Was he a bad man? Had he been bound and left here because of a heinous crime? Not that any person should suffer such a fate, but still, he could harm her.
“N-no. You have my word.” The shivers were violent now. Kate had to get him out of here and warm.
She shot him a look; those golden eyes were focused on her. Kate could not walk away from him, so she had to trust him.
“Your dog?”
“Br-Bran, stay.” The dog settled on its belly.
“Sit, Myrtle.” She felt the dog crouch at her side.
Kate released his ankles, then went to his hands and did the same.
“Are you hurt at all, sir?”
“My sh-shoulder,” he grunted as he struggled to sit. Kate was surrounded by large men in her family, but this one would rival them for size, she thought, helping him.
“The water,” he said, “it is rising.”
Kate looked down to see that was indeed true, as the tide was now trickling over her boots.
“Come, we must get you to your feet.”
His moan was long and loud as, with her help, they got him upright.
“Let me look at your shoulder.” Kate started to undo his coat buttons.
“N-no, we must—”
“Yes!” She slapped his hands aside. His shirt was soaked in blood. Unbuttoning it, she found a hole in his shoulder that was still bleeding sluggishly. “Dear lord, you’ve been shot!”
He didn’t speak, just clenched his teeth together to stop them from chattering. Kate shivered herself as another wave of water reached her boots, higher this time.
She then took the knife back out of his boot and turned her back on the man. Unbuttoning her coat, she bent to slice a length of material from the bottom of her dress, then her chemise.
Fashioning a pad, she pressed it to the wound. He snapped his teeth together to stop another moan. Kate then bound it as best she could before rebuttoning his shirt and coat.
He stood still and silent, those golden eyes watching her the entire time.
“Y-you n-need to run, I’m t-too slow. The tide.”
Kate studied his face; his skin was pale, and a sheen of sweat covered him. Whoever had done this to him had to have known the water would cover him eventually. That someone would want another to die in such a manner made her shudder.
“G-go now.” He grabbed her arm, turned her away from him. “I-I will f-follow.”
“And likely faint. No, we will go together.”
“M-men don’t faint,” he managed to grit out.
His pride at least was still intact.
“I’m sure they do, however now is not the time to debate that. Come along.” Kate lifted his good arm and pressed herself to his side. “Walk,” she ordered him. Deep shudders wracked his chilled body. Shock and blood loss, Kate knew, could kill a person. Essie had told her that. He would likely pass out soon. She had to get him to higher ground before he did.
“Bran, Myrtle,” she said, and both dogs began to move at their side.
The progress was slow, as they rounded the rock.
