They struggled for a few moments until a helpful wave gave an extra buoyancy to her tired limbs and she found herself sprawling in the bottom of the fishing boat. She was scarcely aware of Robert somehow getting himself back into the boat and rowing away from the Spit towards the mouth of the river and the Point. She neither knew nor cared what had happened to Martha Willoughby and her sister.

It seemed a long time before the boat bumped gently against the river bank, by which time Esther was shivering uncontrollably. Her head ached and her chest still hurt. She kept blinking her eyes to clear her vision. It felt as if she had a barrow-load of sand in each eye.

But she was safe.

Robert was bending over her. ‘Can you get up, Esther?’

Valiantly, she made the effort to pull herself up and he supported her, taking her arm and helping her to step out of the boat and on to the wooden landing stage.

‘Oh, dear Lord,’ she heard a woman’s voice exclaim. ‘Whatever has happened?’

Still with Robert’s arm to support her, Esther staggered on to the land and fell to her knees. She had never been so thankful in her life to feel the firm earth beneath her.

‘What happened?’ came the voice again.

Slowly Esther raised her head to see Beth standing over her, bending down towards her and even holding out her hands to help her rise.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Esther grasped the outstretched hands and hauled herself to her feet. She stood swaying and then she felt Beth’s arm about her waist, supporting her, urging her forward. ‘Come on to the boat, Esther. I’ll get you some dry clothing. Whatever has happened?’ she demanded yet again.

Now, relinquishing the care of Esther to his wife, Robert said, ‘’Twas them two old biddies from Tom Willoughby’s farm. They pushed her into the sea off the Spit. God knows what would have happened if I hadn’t been near enough to get to her in time.’

Though she could not yet speak, Esther echoed his sentiments. God alone knew!

Esther did not go to the Elands’ boat home. She wanted to get to the farm as quickly as possible and Beth took her. Only when she had seen Esther stripped of her wet clothing and sitting before the range with a cup of hot tea, did Beth leave Esther in Kate’s care.

Esther recovered quickly and all she told the child was that she had been foolish enough to walk along the Spit on a blustery day and at high tide, and had fallen into the sea.

‘And Mr Eland rescued you?’

‘Yes, yes – he did,’ Esther croaked, for her voice was still ragged. ‘I – I think he saved my life.’