Dorothy Garlock - [Wabash River] (35 page)

“Not likely,” Rain said dryly. “It’s Bull and his cutthroats. They’ve come downriver by boat and cut across. They knew we’d go through Davidsonville and this is the only track.” Rain removed his rifle from the holster and placed it across his lap.

Gavin brought up his rifle, as did Amy and Tally. Eleanor sat her horse quietly; her violet eyes, full of concern, sought Gavin’s.

“Are these the men who have come to take me to Hammond Perry?” she asked calmly.

“They’re Perry’s men and I’m sure that’s what they have in mind,” Rain answered. “Let’s move on so they’ll see us. No point in delaying it.”

Amy rode beside Rain. “Can we turn back?”

“They’d come on. We might as well face them and get it over with.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Nothing until we see what they’re going to do. I think by showing themselves they thought to draw me away, ambush me and swoop in to take Eleanor. Perry wants her alive. They don’t dare shoot her.”

Topping a small hill, they saw the riders coming toward them in a ragged line. Bull and the boy, Muley, were the only ones Amy recognized. The others could have been any of the loafers that hung around the river towns. Some carried pistols, some rifles. They came at a slow trot and then a walk. Rain stopped his horse. Gavin pulled up alongside him, and Amy fell back beside Eleanor.

Bull pulled a length ahead of the others and raised his hand in greeting. “Howdy.”

“Stay where you are or take a bullet between the eyes,” Rain said crisply.

Bull raised his hand to signal a halt.

“Ya ain’t goin’ ta be friendly? Hell! Twas us what was dunked in the river.”

“What are you after?” Rain knew what they were after but was going to make him say it.

They were a dirty, unkempt, hungry-looking bunch, all of them. Rain had seen their kind: renegades operating out of the river towns. They turned their hands at smuggling, stealing horses and preying on travelers, roving like hungry wolves, picking off the weak and unwary. Now their eyes hungrily surveyed the women.

“We come to get Mr. Perry’s woman,” Bull said. A thin smile flitted briefly across his whiskered face.

“It’ll take more than what you’ve got there to take her, Bull,” Rain said evenly.

“Oh, we got more.” Bull lifted his hand and waved. Two men rode out of the woods, one from each side of them, and joined the group behind Bull. “What ya say now, Tallman? Bull Ellert ain’t no fool. Seven men ta three. Ah . . . maybe four, if’n ya call that one in britches a man.” He laughed and the men behind him snickered. “If twarn’t fer the woman we’d gun ya down here ’n now. We figure ya owe us fer the dunkin’ in the river ’n burnin’ Mr. Perry’s boat.”

“That was a fair fight, Bull.”

“Are ya handin’ over the woman?”

Rain took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. He settled his hat back on his head before he spoke. “I have to admit the odds are pretty stiff. There are times a man thinks he’s got everything going on a downhill grade and he comes to a creek he can’t cross. I guess you’ve kind of outfoxed me this time.”

Bull grinned over his shoulder at his men. “I figured ya’d see it my way, Tallman. I heared ya warn’t no rattlehead.”

“I never thought I was a rattlehead. I’m not going to die for a mere woman, even a pretty one. If Perry wants her, he can have her. Back off down the road and let me try to convince her that it’s the only thing we can do.”

“I ain’t carin’ if’n she wants ta come. Send ’er on over.”

“What are you worried about? You’ve got seven guns to our three. Give me ten minutes to talk to Miss Woodbury, then come get her.”

“Ya figurin’ to run?”

“Where the hell would we run to? The woman’s threatening to cut her face up. Perry wouldn’t want a scarred woman—”

Eleanor let out a long, piercing scream. “I’ll kill myself!” She grabbed for Rain’s knife and he grabbed her wrist.

“See how it is? I’ve got to make her understand you’ll kill the rest of us if she doesn’t knuckle under and go with you.”

Bull watched Rain struggle with Eleanor. Finally Rain swung an arm around her waist and lifted her from the saddle. She fought and screamed.

“All right. Ten minutes.” Bull said. “When we come back, ya turn the woman ’n the horses over to us ’n get yoreself good ’n clear a here.”

“You’ll want the guns too?”

“The guns too. Ten minutes to talk. I’d hate to take her to Mr. Perry with a cut face, but I will.” He turned his horse and the group followed him back down the wagon track.

Eleanor continued to struggle in Rain’s grasp for several minutes. When Bull and his men were a good hundred yards away, Rain let her down so that her feet could touch the ground. She looked up at him and grinned.

“How was it?”

“Good thinking. You almost convinced me.” There was no mistaking the admiration in his brief smile. “We’ve got to decide what we’re going to do.”

Eleanor moved over to Gavin and slipped her hand into his. He gripped it so hard she thought her bones would break.

“Be ye thinkin’ the same as me?” Gavin asked.

“There’s no thinking to be done. They’ll kill us as soon as they have Eleanor. They’ll not leave us to come after them another time.”

“It’s my thought.”

“We don’t have much choice. They outnumber us.” Rain spoke gravely. “There’s only one thing to do.” He got off his horse and the others did the same.

“What’s that?” Amy stood quietly, holding the reins of her horse.

“Kill them before they kill us. They’re sure going to. As soon as Eleanor is clear, they’ll open up on us.”

“They’ve got us outnumbered, mon.” Gavin’s arm had gone about Eleanor, but no one seemed to notice, not even Gavin.

“Only by three if Amy and Tally shoot.”

“I’ll shoot,” Amy said quickly. “I’ve got a pistol in my pack, and my knife.” She patted the scabbard belted to her waist.

“And you?” Rain glanced doubtfully at Tally. “Can you shoot?”

“Yo’re not agoin’ to just shoot ’em down?”

“That’s what they’re going to do to us,” Rain pointed out harshly. “You’re damn right we’ll shoot them down. You don’t make deals with hungry wolves.”

“I’ve . . . not shot a man. It ain’t Christian.”

“What they’re going to do to us isn’t Christian, either,” Amy said stoutly. “I’ve not shot a man, but I can do it.”

“I would if I knew how to shoot,” Eleanor said.

“You can shoot my pistol.” Amy began to untie the bedroll lashed to her saddle. “I’ll load it. All you’ll have to do is point and pull the trigger.”

“It’ll cut down the odds, Eleanor, if you can do it.”

“Don’t worry. Just show me what to do.” Eleanor’s lavender eyes sought Gavin’s. She would do it for her love, she thought. Aloud she said, “I’d go with them if it would save you all.”

“Right now you’re what’s keeping us alive.” Rain turned his horse so the group watching didn’t see him check the load in his gun. “Line the horses up in front of us casually, so they can’t see what we’re doing. Tally, bring the mules up as if you’re leaving. Then turn them and come back as if you’ve changed your mind. That way they’ll be between us.”

Cold sweat broke out on Tally’s face, but he did as he was told. “It don’t seem Christian,” he repeated, “not to give ’em a chance to back off.”

“Hush your whining, Tally,” Amy said sternly. “You wanted to come with us and I insisted you stay against Rain’s better judgment. Now, damn it, act like a man and do what has to be done.”

“But Miss Amy, I ain’t never—”

“Shut up! Do what Rain tells you to do or you’ll stay right here as buzzard feed.”

The group stood behind the horses and prepared their weapons.

“If each one of us hits a man it will leave two alive and us with empty rifles. I can account for one with my knife,” Rain said.

“I can take care of the other with mine.” Amy looked Rain square in the eyes. “You’ve never let me show you what I can do. Trust me, Rain. Uncle Juicy saw to it that I can defend myself. He remembered how helpless Fawnella was when she was left alone and the Frenchman killed her.”

“All right, sweetheart.” His hand came out and gripped her shoulder. “Chances are a couple of them will turn tail and run when the shooting starts. If that happens, let them go.”

“Which one do I . . . shoot?” Tally was trembling like a leaf.

“When they come on, I’ll parcel them out. You’ll have to do more yelling, Eleanor. We’ll be out in front like I’m trying to put you on the horse. Then we’ll duck behind the horses and start shooting.”

Rain had shot a few men. It was never easy. He understood Tally’s feelings. Even the riffraff coming to kill them were men. Some might have families who would wonder what happened to them. He hated killing. He never killed an animal or bird or caught a fish unless he was going to eat it. He would kill these men because if he didn’t they would kill them or, even worse, take Amy and Eleanor and use them in the most degrading manner. At the thought of Amy in the hands of such men a chilling calm took possession of him.

Gavin tried to block every thought from his mind except what had to be done. That he would die then and there was of no consequence if he could keep Eleanor safe. She was so beautiful that it almost hurt his eyes to look at her, and just now her magnificent lavender eyes had held a brilliant, soft glow of adoration when she looked at him. She was so great a miracle that it was unthinkable that someone so fragile and precious be handed over to the scum coming to get her. He would die protecting this treasure who had become the core of his life.

Minutes dragged by. Finally Bull and his scavengers started toward them. They fanned out to form a semicircle behind Bull. Everyone carried a gun of some kind, and every gun was ready. Rain was counting on the fact that he had convinced Bull they were willing to hand Eleanor over to them. That, he thought, along with knowing what was about to happen, would give them the advantage.

“Tally, take Bull,” he said. “He’ll be the closest, the biggest target and the easiest to hit. Remember, he’s here to kill Amy and take Eleanor. I’ll take the two on the left end. Gavin, take the one on the right before he flanks us. Amy, the one in the beaver hat is yours and the one next to Bull with the feather in his hat is Eleanor’s. Eleanor, hold your arm straight out, take your time and squeeze off the shot. That leaves the kid. Unless he turns tail and runs, you’ll have to knife him, Amy.”

“I will if I have to,” she answered calmly.

“I’ll drag Eleanor out. When they get so close we can’t miss, I’ll give the signal. Hold the pistol behind you, Eleanor. Now . . . start yelling!”

Eleanor started screaming and fighting to break loose from the hand Rain had clamped to her arm.

“No! Noo!”

“Damn it! Come on!” Rain shouted, jerking her beneath the horse’s neck.

“Stop! Noo . . . I won’t go!”

When Bull was within ten yards, Rain let his hand slip from Eleanor’s arm. Quick as a wink she darted behind the horse. At the same time Rain slipped behind the mules.

“Now!”

The roar of the weapons was deafening. The mules plunged, horses squealed, men shrieked and cursed and fell. Through the haze of black powder smoke, Rain watched his man jerk backward and fall from the saddle. He drew back his hand and sent his knife hurling at his second man, heard him scream, clutch his stomach and fall to the ground. The smoke was heavy, but Rain could see Bull, still in the saddle, lifting his gun. A second later Amy’s knife went flying through the air like a well-aimed arrow and was buried to the hilt in Bull’s chest. There was a look of surprise on his face, then his rifle slipped from his hands and he slowly slid from the saddle.

A man crawled on the ground, screeching, and was trampled by a terrified horse. Through the churning dust and smoke, Rain saw that one man was left, the kid. He saw him raise his rifle and fire, then drop it and spur his horse toward them, drawing his pistol from his belt. Rain grasped the barrel of his rifle and leaped into the path of the horse. He swung viciously and clubbed the kid from the saddle. Like a cornered wolf the boy sprang up, his teeth bared. Rain knocked him to the ground again, giving him a sharp whack on the head with his rifle butt. The boy lay in a crumpled heap, like a small, vicious animal.

One mule was down and the other began to buck and bray. Its hooves slashed viciously at the men on the ground.

“Help me,” someone yelled. “Help me afore that gawddamn mule—” The man went slack as a hoof found its mark.

As far as Rain could tell the kid had fired the only shot. Rain quickly reloaded his rifle and walked out among the dead or wounded men. He checked each man and kicked weapons away from those still living. He retrieved his knife and Amy’s, wiped the bloody blades on the dead men’s clothing, then turned back to his own group. His eyes sought Amy standing tall and alert. She had already reloaded her rifle and was ready to use it. Tally stood apart from the others, head down, vomiting on the ground.

“It’s over,” Rain said. Amy nodded and lowered the weapon.

Gavin had been hit by the only shot fired by the renegades. He was down and Eleanor was bending over him, her face ashen. The mule had taken the bullet through the neck, but fired at such close range, it had passed through and hit Gavin in the side. Blood seeped from the wound, but he was still conscious. Rain knelt beside him and slashed his shirt with his knife so he could see the damage.

“Tis bad?” Gavin asked.

“I don’t know,” Rain said honestly. “The bullet is still in there.”

“Do what ye have to, mon.”

“There’s no hurry yet. We’ll get away from this place first.”

“What about . . . them?” Amy jerked her head toward the dead and wounded.

“They’re not our problem,” Rain said coldly. He turned back to Gavin. “Can you ride?”

“Oh, no! Please don’t move him!” Eleanor pleaded.

“Hush, lass,” Gavin soothed gently. To Rain he said, “I can ride.”

“He’ll bleed to death!” Eleanor wailed.

“Tear your petticoat in strips and wrap it around him,” Rain ordered. “Goddamn it, Tally, stop puking and get the horses. If you’d done your share, Gavin wouldn’t have been hit.”