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“You noticed that?”
She didn’t see why he should sound surprised. The indications on the cave walls were quite obvious. “It was a rather important piece of information,” Sarah replied.
“Yes, but… Yes.”
Sarah shivered.
“You’re cold.”
“I expect you are as well.”
He began to strip off his coat, wincing more than once as he jostled his injury.
“You mustn’t give me your coat,” said Sarah. Particularly with a cracked rib. He must have hit his head quite hard as well.
“I’m not going to,” he replied. “We will both shelter under it.” He beckoned as he scooted toward the back of their ledge. There wasn’t room to stand up in this makeshift refuge, but he could lean back against the stone.
“I’ll be all right,” said Sarah, reluctant to go so close to a stranger.
“I’m in no condition to take liberties, even if I would,” he said. “And I promise you I would not.” He beckoned again.
She was cold. And would be more so. She had begun shivering. Throwing propriety to the winds, Sarah moved over to sit beside him. They both drew up their knees, and he spread his coat over them. Dissatisfied with the result, he shifted until their bodies touched from shoulder to ankle and adjusted the garment to mostly cover them.
Sarah blushed, which warmed her a little right away. She’d never been so close to any man, and he was a complete unknown. She sat very still. He made no move. Slowly, heat built up where they touched. The coat, even though wet, helped as well. But the situation was still horribly awkward. A wave crashed into the opening. The water had risen below.
“I don’t suppose anything lives in here,” said Sarah.
“No animals would den in a tidal cave,” he replied. “There are far more comfortable spots.”
“And nothing would come in from the sea, I suppose. With long grasping tentacles to reach up and…”
He jerked and muttered in pain. “What?”
“It’s just that I’ve read about these great creatures that rise from the depths and pull sailing ships down to their doom.”
“Doom?” He looked out over the surging water. “Tentacles.”
“Like thick ropes that latch on and can scarcely be peeled away. Sailors have to chop them off.”
“You have a vivid imagination.”
“Yes, but these beasts are real.”
“I really wish you hadn’t thought of that.”
“Me too,” said Sarah in a small voice.
There was a short silence. “All right,” her companion said then. “But you said ‘the depths.’ They wouldn’t come near the shore. There wouldn’t be room for them.” He spoke as if partly reassuring himself. “We will be fine here.”
“They wouldn’t fit into this cave anyway,” said Sarah.
“Exactly. The coastal water would be too shallow.”
“That’s true. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being logically comforting.”
