He had, it appears, abused her roundly on the first night of the storm for venturing on deck against orders, compelling him to risk what he considered a very precious life in a successful effort to drag her back to safety.

As a matter of fact, he did not drag her back to safety.

That feat was accomplished by two sailors who managed to reach both of them before another devastating wave came up to tear his grip loose from the broken rail to which he clung with one bandaged hand while he kept her from sliding into the sea with the other.
He was very angry.

In the first place, his hands hurt him dreadfully, and in the second place she had forced him to disobey orders by going out to save her.

He did not mutter his complaints.