Chapter 10
The hot water cascading over his shoulders felt blissful. Murray had already been in the shower for what felt like an age. He really should get out… but frankly, after more than two days spent in the same clothes, he was going to make the most of feeling clean again.
Ten more minutes, then he’d re-trace his steps and grab the trail of clothes he’d left strewn across the trawler and dump them into his laundry basket. If he had the energy.
Scrunching his eyes closed, Murray turned his face upwards and let the water trickle through his hair. He’d already washed it, carefully avoiding the bump as he’d gingerly massaged his scalp. It was still decidedly tender to the touch, and even the gentle patter of the water was almost too much to bear. He probably should have left it for a day or two, but frankly, the eau-de-hospital had to go.
Okay… that was as much as his head could take! Murray turned again – and then paused. He opened his eyes, going completely still for a second. He could swear he’d just heard something…
It almost sounded like someone calling his name… but that was impossible. He had to be hearing things – which wasn’t a good sign! There was no other explanation for it, though.
There was never anyone around out here in the middle of the marshes - that was the joy of the place. The trawler was a good distance from the town itself, and it was very rare sounds travelled that far – and then only when the wind was coming from that direction and there was a particularly rowdy party going on in the Dolphin and Anchor.
‘Probably just a bird,’ he muttered.
Shrugging, Murray leaned one hand against the wall. It was getting pretty steamy in there now – almost time to call it a day. He’d get dry, gather his clothes and then maybe treat himself to a nap before indulging in a coffee, and then…
Wait – there it was again!
Murray quickly turned the water off, cocking his head to one side, barely daring to breathe.
‘Help! Murray? You there? Heeeelp!’
Okay – that definitely wasn’t inside his head.
Clambering out of the shower, Murray quickly grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist. He hurried out into his bedroom and then paused for a brief second.
Should he grab some clothes?
No.
Whoever it was out there calling for him had sounded more than a little bit desperate. Dashing through the living room, he headed straight for the door and burst out onto the deck – and spotted the problem immediately.
The sight in front of him brought him to an abrupt halt.
It was Milly. She was up to her knees in mud… and it was pretty clear she couldn’t move an inch.
He sucked in a breath, wondering if he was hallucinating. For the life of him, he couldn’t think what she’d be doing all the way out there in the middle of the marshes!
‘Hi?’ she said.
The single, uncertain word made him snap back to reality. She needed his help. Best he got her out of the mud now and asked questions later.
Glancing down at his towel, he let out a sigh. This wasn’t quite the way he’d pictured their first official meeting… then again, neither was getting knocked out by a bunch of flowers, and there was a good chance she’d witnessed that. It looked like they were destined to keep meeting when the embarrassment-factor was dialled up to the maximum setting.
As much as he’d really like to go and put some clothes on, he could hardly ask her to hang tight until he’d got changed, could he? After all, this was an emergency!
Okay, maybe not an emergency in the usual sense of the word. There weren’t crocodiles out there or anything like that… and it looked like she’d already sunk about as far as she was going to go. Even so, it didn’t seem fair to disappear again.
‘Erm… Murray?’ This time her voice had a definite edge of concern to it, and he realised he hadn’t said anything to her yet. He was just standing there, staring at her.
‘Milly?’ he called.
‘Yeah,’ she shouted back, sounding both relieved, resigned and a bit sheepish. She added in a slight shrug which he found ridiculously endearing. ‘Caught you at a bad time?’ she added.
‘You’ll just have to put up with being rescued by someone wearing a towel,’ said Murray, returning her shrug with one of his own.
He might have been wrong, but he could swear she’d just let out a funny little squeak. She was probably just desperate to get out of the chilly mud and back onto dry land.
‘Erm… okay… let’s think,’ said Murray, staring around him for a moment, doing his best to ignore his throbbing head. ‘I know – let’s start with you throwing me your shoes and socks. You’re going to need your hands free for the rescue mission.’
‘Okay…’ said Milly, sounding a bit unsure. ‘Here - catch!’
The balled-up socks came hurtling towards him, and Murray caught them easily before tossing them onto the deck of the trawler. He managed to snatch the first trainer out of mid-air with no problem, but then Milly threw the second one a bit too hard. It came hurtling towards him, and he just managed to duck in time to avoid a second bump on the head.
‘Sorry!’ she gasped as the trainer bounced harmlessly onto the deck just behind him. ‘Your poor head!’
‘It’s fine – you missed!’ he chuckled. He’d been far too caught up with making sure that his towel stayed put to worry about the flying trainer too much.
‘What about my bag?’ she said.
‘I’ll grab it from you in a sec,’ he said. ‘Be right back!’
Murray turned and quickly fetched two wide, wooden planks he used when he needed to work on the hull. Then, with some careful manoeuvring, he placed them on top of the mud – creating a pathway between the trawler and Milly.
The planks were wide enough to spread Murray’s weight so that he wouldn’t sink – and they were just about long enough that he should be able to grab her hands.
‘You’re not seriously coming out here in a towel?’ said Milly.
Murray raised an eyebrow, doing his best not to laugh at the little splatters of mud that now adorned her cheeks. No one should look this cute while stuck up to their knees in marsh water.
‘Well,’ he said, ‘I could leave you out here while I go pull some clothes on. I mean, I don’t want to offend you or anything!’
‘I’m not offended,’ she said quickly.
He might be imagining things right now, but was that a little gleam in her eyes?
Murray shook his head and then added a little shiver for good measure. He was starting to get cold. That shiver had nothing to do with Milly’s eyes on him.
‘Want me to get changed?’ he said again, this time more seriously.
‘No!’ said Milly. ‘I want to get out of here!’
‘Alrighty then!’ he said, breaking out his best Jim Carey impression… and then promptly wanting to face-palm. Now was definitely not the time to let his own special brand of craziness out to play. Then again, he couldalways blame it on the head injury if he had to.
Maybe she hadn’t noticed…
Murray glanced at Milly, crossing his fingers behind his back. Unfortunately, judging by the fact that her eyebrows were now hovering somewhere near her hairline as she stared at him – he was doomed. He couldn’t quite tell if it was a look of surprise, horror or amusement… and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to find out.
‘Let’s get this over with,’ he muttered, clambering gingerly onto the planks so that he could edge his way towards her.