He started to turn back, caught movement out of the corner of his eye as he did and instinctively ducked and swerved, narrowly missing the hamlike fist that had been aimed at his head. Blinking in surprise at the large man now confronting him, he glanced past him to see Lisa lying unconscious on the sand back where he’d left her, and then ducked and rolled to the side as the man in black swung for him again.

Robert was popping back to his feet, mentally preparing himself for the next blow when he saw the fellow pull a long, large blade from the back of his trousers and toss it from hand to hand as he crouched slightly before him.

Bloody brilliant, Robert thought grimly. Fisticuffs were one thing, but a one-sided knife fight was not good. Not good at all. It was even more worrisome because if he failed at overcoming the huge bastard now moving in on him, Lisa would be lost. Which meant he’d better not lose if he wanted to keep her safe.

Very aware of that fact, Robert began glancing around for something he could use as a weapon. The only thing handy was sand at the moment, and he didn’t hesitate but bent to grab up a handful even as he leapt to the side to avoid the knife now plunging toward him. He wasn’t quick enough; the tip of it sliced into him, scraping across his ribs as he went, but he ignored the stinging pain and straightened, tossing the sand at his adversary’s eyes.

The trick worked. The man stumbled back, reaching for his face and Robert charged, bending at the waist to ram his shoulder into the man’s chest. The tackle took the fellow down and Robert landed on him hard and then began slamming his fists into his hood-covered face and stomach until he simply couldn’t hit him anymore.

Much to his relief, when he stopped and knelt over the man, his attacker didn’t move or suddenly rise up to start hitting back. It appeared he was unconscious. At least he could see that his eyes were closed through the eyeholes in his mask.

Robert sank back on his haunches with relief and then glanced down at his chest, grimacing when he saw the long slice in his shirt and the blood staining it. His gaze then shifted to where Lisa lay in the sand. It was probably good she was unconscious. She would have fainted if she’d seen the blood anyway, he thought wryly. Lisa had never been very good with blood.

His gaze swiveled back to the attacker and he started to lean forward, intending to remove the man’s mask, but paused as the cut in his stomach protested. Sighing, he sank back without removing it. He would send Richard and Daniel for the fellow and they could unmask the man and tell him who he was. Right now, the more important thing was to get Lisa safely back to the others. His wound was bleeding quite a bit, and Robert was growing weaker by the moment. Should the hooded man wake up and have another go at him, he wasn’t at all sure how he’d fare.