Did he imagine she would let him take her away from everything she held dear?
With one quick glance into the murky depths, Lillian inhaled deeply and then dived into the sea.
The cold hit her like a sharp slap, penetrating her bones in seconds. Water filled her ears. She knew not to panic, knew not to thrash about, knew to wait before trying to move. Erratic breathing only made matters worse. As she surfaced, she tried to keep calm, tried to let her clothes act as a buoyancy as Vane had told her to do. Floating was the key to survival, not swimming.
In calmer waters, her plan may well have worked, but the magnitude and force of the waves sucked her under. She broke the rules. The instinct to swim came upon her, the instinct to fight for her life as the sea swallowed her whole.
But then a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up to the surface. She gulped air, blinked away the droplets clinging to her lashes. “Fabian.”
“Hold on, love. Don’t let go.”
He swam with her. Perhaps with his experience at sea he knew something she didn’t. And then Vane was there, taking his turn, helping them, and somehow they all ended up collapsed on the sand.
Mackenzie and Mary hurried to their side.
“For all the saints,” Mackenzie cried, “are you trying to put me in an early grave?”
A weak chuckle escaped Fabian’s lips as he gasped for breath. “I said the same thing to her yesterday.” He clutched his chest as he sat up. “Good God! Will someone please tell me how we survived that.”
The comment focused Lillian’s mind, and she sat up and scoured the sea looking for Doyle. “Where’s the boat?”
Vane came to his feet. “It overturned.” He pointed to the odd-shaped hump bobbing in the water. “The current dragged Doyle under.”
Panic almost stole her voice. “M-my locket.” She jabbed her finger, her body desperately trying to communicate her meaning. “Doyle has my locket.” A whimper became a cry. “No! I can’t lose it.”
Vane’s calm voice penetrated the chaos. “Have no fear. I shall retrieve it.”
“No.”
Fabian stood. “It is only right I go. Were it not for me, Lillian would not be in this predicament.”
“I—I don’t want either of you to go. It’s not safe.”
“If I were a better swimmer, I would go.” Ursula stepped up to the water, the flowing tide sweeping up past her ankles and pulling on the hem of her dress. She squinted and stared into the distance. “Do you think he’s dead? Tell me he’s dead.”
Lillian sprung to her feet and rushed forward. “Will the tide bring his body ashore?” She waded in up to her knees, searching for any sign of life. The power of the sea almost knocked her back.
Fabian came to her side and drew her into an embrace. “I’m sorry about the locket. I know it is no consolation, but always remember t
hat no one can steal the love from your heart or the memories from your mind.”
Lillian buried her head in his chest and sobbed. They were the tears of a foolish girl, the tears of a woman who’d just come close to losing everything that mattered. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung on tightly. The sound of his rapid heartbeat soothed her.
“Och, do you think that’s wise, man?” Mackenzie cried.
Lillian looked up to see Vane’s naked torso diving down far beyond the foamy surf. “Vane!” She broke away from Fabian’s grasp, ready to chase after the man who had never forgiven himself for what happened to her. Who would never forgive himself if the only physical thing that reminded her of Charlotte disappeared into the depths of the restless sea.
Fabian caught her by the wrist. “You can’t go. Seeing you in the water will only distract him.”
“I’ll make sure your brother comes back to you, lass.” Mackenzie thrust the lantern at Ursula and shrugged out of his coat. He dropped to the wet sand and pulled off his boots. “Had I known I’d be swimming in the sea twice in one night, I’d have come out in just my drawers.”
Torn between wanting him to help Vane and wanting him to stay, Lillian said, “Be careful. It’s rough out there.”
“Och, I swam the waters around the Mealt Falls when I was just a wee laddie. There’s no place with a stronger undertow.” The Scot jumped to his feet, gathered Mary into his arms and kissed her on the mouth. “Wait here for me, lass. Happen I have things to say upon my return.”
Like a Highland warrior of old, Mackenzie charged into the sea and disappeared. They all stood and watched with bated breath. Ursula paced back and forth lifting her lantern high although the wind threatened to blow the flame out. A minute passed before they noticed movement in the water. In the gloom and through the lashing rain it was hard to identify the mass moving towards them.
Without warning, Fabian charged in, grabbed Doyle’s body and hauled him to the shore. Mackenzie surged out of the water and sucked in a breath. But where was Vane?