Page 58 of Sins of a Scot
“Oh, thank all the gods for that,” Iseabail breathed.
Pushing herself off Owen, she stretched her neck to see. Peeking through the bodies of the other passengers, and past the sail of the ship, there indeed, was the island they were seeking, and upon seeing it with her own eyes, relief flooded through her. She could not wait to be on land, and find somewhere to get warm, for she could no longer feel her fingers or toes.
The sailors began yelling to each other, readying for the approach when suddenly, the boat seemed to lurch. The sail then lost its tautness and flapped about uncontrollably, which only added to the instability. A great amount of yelling began from everyone on board as the sailors lost control of the small vessel, and from nowhere, great waves crashed across the side, tossing them about like leaves.
“Iseabail,” Owen screamed, grabbing hold of her arm, but as the boat lurched again, she was torn from his grip, flung into the air, and then came crashing down with a painful thud onto the deck.
Thunderous waves washed over her, and Iseabail found herself choking and spluttering, her arms flailing to try and get up as water splashed across the deck, now more than six inches deep. But with the erratic movement of the vessel, she was instead,tossed back and forth, men now falling around her and on top of her.
A second later, she saw Owen, yanking men off her, and grabbing Iseabail’s cloak, he began pulling her up. But again, the boat thrashed, now completely out of control, and Owen fell backwards, while Iseabail was tossed against the side of the boat.
“We’re heading for the rocks,” someone screamed.
“Man the rudder,” another bellowed.
There was utter panic and chaos, and with water in her eyes, and waves crashing down on top of her, Iseabail could hardly breathe. The wind was knocked from her lungs as she was tossed back and forth, and then the boat lurched sideways, and she tumbled over and over, as the boat keeled onto its side.
Still choking in her panic, Iseabail tried to grab hold of something, but as the ship tossed and turned, it jarred her and she found herself flying through the air as though she were weightless. For a second, everything around her seemed to still, then a moment later, she felt herself tumbling, until eventually, she crashed down painfully into the water, and was swallowed up by the raging sea.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Iseabail!” Owen screamed, watching her fly overboard, only to be swallowed up by the tumultuous waves that had men jumping from the ship.
“We’re going tae hit the rocks. We’re going tae hit the rocks,” someone roared.
Owen no longer cared what happened to the boat, and without a second thought, he threw himself into the water. There were men already thrashing about him, yelling and screaming in terror. It was utter turmoil, and fighting against the tide, he headed for the area he had seen Iseabail go under.
Diving under the water, he tried to see her, but the salt strung his eyes. Besides, there were so many others about him, legs kicking, and pieces of the boat already breaking apart, he could see nothing that was helpful.
With strong strokes, he swam past those around him. Some reached out in panic, trying to grab hold of him, but Owen pushed them off with great strength. He needed to find Iseabail before it was too late.
Spinning his head back and forth, something familiar caught his eyes, but at the sight of it, his heart nearly stopped, for all he could see was a still body being tossed hither and thither. Swimming towards it, he grabbed an arm and seeing her face, her eyes closed, and her body motionless, Owen panicked as despair washed over him.
“Nay”
Wrapping a strong arm around her body, he swam to the rocks with the other, every stroke battling against the raging waves that threatened to swallow them both whole. But he could not let that happen. Iseabail could not die. He simply would not allow it. He had to save her. He had to.
As exhausted as he was when he reached the rocks, he used every ounce of strength he had left to drag himself and Iseabail out of the water. But he would not give up. The terror of what he had experienced left him as he lay her down and shook her.
“Iseabail! Iseabail!” he bellowed. “Wake up. Ye cannae give up on me now.”
But she still remained completely motionless. Bending over her, he grabbed her body and pulled her up into his chest. Holdingher tightly, and on the verge of sobbing, he rocked her back and forth.
“Please, Iseabail. Ye cannae leave me now. Nae now.”
A couple of seconds later, she began coughing and spluttering, and looking down at her, Owen watched as water spurted from her mouth.
“Och, me God,” he gasped. “Ye’re alive.”
Iseabail continued to cough for a minute more, and then she took great intakes of breath. Her skin was pale, strands of hair stuck to her face, and her clothes were soaked through, but she was alive.
Owen wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.
“Thank ye,” he cried, looking upward. “Thank ye.”
In that second, Owen knew what he had been denying to be true. He was in love with this woman. The idea that he might lose her had nearly killed him, and no doubt, had she not survived, he would not have cared if he did either. But she was alive, and now he had to protect her with his life.
When she gazed up at him, she looked both bewildered and terrified. Turning her head, she gazed about her as other men lay on the rocks, some exhausted and terrified, some barely moving.
