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Soht to dump him here

Shaking her head in consternation, Amelia set her concerns to one side for now At least until they are She wondered briefly if she should leave his hands bound for the ti Despite the risk to her own safety should he turn out to be a murderer or rapist, she knew she simply couldn’t do it

She was about to unravel the bonds when a small voice of caution warned her Until she could be certain of his identity, and what had caused him to be in such dire circumstance, she owed it to herself to keep him bound If not to himself, then she could at least bind hi

“You could at least wake up and helpthe thin folds of his cotton shirt in her sht A srunt escaped her when, despite her best efforts, he barely moved

Fighting to gain purchase in the deepening e breath, she pulled on his shoulders as hard as she could, crying aloud with joy when he slid a few inches towards her Her chest was heaving with exertion when Ae of the track several minutes later

“At this rate, we’ll both drown,” she gasped, eyeing the short distance they had covered with a growing sense of defeat She began to doubt that she could actually get hie The puddles in the ly deeper by theto drag hih the water and deepening mud would be impossible

Tipping her head backwards, she sed the raindrops that fell into her open otten hiive up on hi her aching back, Amelia bent over him

“Please wake up” She fought tears when the howling winds immediately snatched her voice When he didn’t respond, she shook hiht bindings at his wrist until they unravelled She was about to drag hiht her ears

“Help ainst his solid chest in frustration She cried out with joy when he issued another soft groan in response

“Get up Get up” Her voice shook with aexcite him out of the rain, and herself home at last rose like a phoenix before her

“Get up and helpimpatience, when he didn’t immediately move “Get up Get up Get up!”

Her tenacity was rewarded by the sudden jerking of his head as he peered at her through the gloo hi rain out of her eyes, she prodded him forwards relentlessly when he tried to stand They only covered a few paces before he fell to his knees with a thud

For several long and harrowing minutes they made their somewhat aard journey across the muddy cart track Aer a few steps, then slu became so bad that he looked as if he would topple forwards onto his face, A him walk just a few steps more

They were so close Just another few feet and they would be at her

cottage door She could get them both inside to safety