Christmas at Lilac Cottage - Holly Martin Page 0,38

the boys completely, and to Penny’s horror, when the water receded, there was only one boy left on the slipway.

Chapter Eight

She was on her feet before she even knew what she was doing, leaping over the small barrier separating the ice rink from the public and running to the top of the slipway.

She spotted Daniel, Maggie’s husband, with his two small boys in tow and he looked at her in horror as she ran past.

‘Get help, call the lifeboat,’ she yelled at him as she ran down the slip, yanking her coat off.

Alex, the oldest of the boys, was standing on the edge of the slip, trying to reach Sam who was struggling in the water, too far out for either of them to reach.

Penny grabbed Alex’s arm and pulled him away from the edge. ‘Get help now.’

‘But…’ Alex was sobbing.

‘Go!’

Alex ran up the slope and Penny turned and dived straight into the water, the icy waves closing over her head, the weight of her clothes dragging her down. She swam as far as she could underwater towards where she had last seen Sam. It was easier under the surface without the waves surging round her. Eventually she surfaced, just as a wave crashed over her head. The cold penetrated every inch of her body and she blinked blearily to try to see Sam. A flash of blond hair appeared momentarily over the waves and disappeared behind another surge a second later. She swam towards him, pushing with everything she had against the impending waves. She saw him again mere feet from her but when she tried to grab him the waves pulled him from her reach. She swam and pushed and grabbed and finally made contact with the back of his hood, pulling him towards her, hauling his tiny body against her own and determinedly trying to keep his head above the water, when another wave crashed over them. She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe but she held Sam’s struggling body against her with every last ounce of strength. They broke through the surface again and she briefly saw a crowd of people lining the slip, before another wave crashed over them. She pushed towards the slip but the waves surged round them forcing them further and further away. She kicked frantically with her legs but it was hopeless.

Suddenly everyone on the slip started waving and pointing frantically at her and Sam, some people even cheering.

She turned round in the water and saw the bright orange RIB from the lifeboat station ploughing through the water towards her. The lifeboat crew were looking in the water for them but couldn’t see them. She didn’t dare wave in case she lost her grip on Sam.

Waves crashed over her and she just hoped they would see them soon.

A shout rang out from the boat and the next thing a rope with a small float on the end was thrown towards her. Holding Sam tight, she grabbed hold of it and they dragged her towards the side of the boat.

She held Sam up out of the water for them to take, but that forced her under the water. A hand came down and grabbed her, yanking her back to the surface as the boy was taken from her.

She looked up blearily into the eyes of her friend George, who was holding onto her with grim determination. Another hand grabbed her other arm and between George and another man she was hauled aboard.

George knelt down in front of her, pulling a lifejacket over her head. ‘Are you OK?’

She nodded, not able to talk as the cold night air sliced into her skin.

George quickly stood back up and manoeuvred the boat back to the side of the slip. Penny glanced over at Sam huddled in Dave’s arms. He was shivering but clearly alive and seemingly uninjured.

The boat slammed against the side of the slip. Dave quickly stood up and leant over the side to hand Sam back to his Dad.

George helped her to her feet and Dave held out a hand for her to guide her ashore. Suddenly Henry was in front of her and he quickly lifted her to safety. He pulled the lifejacket off her and wrapped his coat around her tightly, though it did very little to dull the effects of the cold. Henry stared down at her, he looked furious.

‘Take her to The Pilchard,’ someone said. ‘They’ve got a fire in there.’

Oh god, please no.

Henry turned and marched through the crowd, dragging