Hawkwood slid the musket from his shoulder and removed the strap. Then he took off his coat, boots and socks. Convincing himself that it wouldn’t be for long, he wrapped the coat around his footwear and used the strap to secure the bundle across his shoulder. He checked to see that Lawrence had followed suit, then using the musket as a steadier, he steeled himself and waded out into the water. The temperature of the stream almost made him gasp out loud, as did the strength of the current. The algae-covered rocks were very slippery underfoot. Those that weren’t felt as sharp as knives. Even with the musket as a support and planting his weight firmly, it was all he could do to remain upright. But if his years in the army had taught him one thing, it was the value of dry boots; they’d be worth their weight in gold when he got to the other side. If he got to the other side. He paused momentarily as Lawrence stepped after him. Then, tentatively, leaning into the flow, they inched their way out into the river.

It took three or four cautious steps before they got used to the awkward contours of the river bed and the power of the water. Even so, progress was agonizingly slow and it seemed as though an age passed before they eventually reached the safety of the nearest islet, by which time they were soaked to their thighs and Hawkwood could hardly feel his toes for the cold. But the tactic had worked. They were well over halfway to their objective.

“Jesus,” Lawrence gasped. “We should have brought the bloody horses and let their arses get wet.”

Cheered by the realization that they were almost there, with less than twenty paces separating them from their goal, Hawkwood shouldered his pack once more, swore under his breath then set off. And wondered immediately how it was possible that one side of a river could be colder than the other.

He knew it was his imagination but it did feel as though his feet were turning into blocks of ice. It would have been easy to return to the isle and persuade himself that it would do them good to rest a few moments before completing the remainder of the crossing, but with the bank now so tantalizingly close he knew they had to keep going. And so, pushing all thoughts of rest to the back of his mind, he allowed his concentration to focus wholly on where to place his feet.

So he had no idea that Lawrence was in trouble until he heard him cry out.