“As will you, old man,” Daniel said through his teeth.
“I have not told you enough what you mean to me,” Oliver said, raising his fists.
“I know, and that is enough for now. Fight with everything you have now, brother.”
“And then I will hear about that scar and who gave it to you.” Oliver started moving forward. “And those battles you had to fight on my behalf.”
“He is dead, and yes, we will talk, but they are not important. What is, is us coming out of this alive.”
“Excellent, now duck.”
Daniel took the first punch to his chin. Shaking his head, he moved his feet and returned the favor.
Chapter 33
Abby had insisted on travelling with the group to the rendezvous. In this she was determined. She had vowed to do as she was told and stay out the way, but she could not sit and wait for what eventuated any longer. Gabe had argued with her, but it had been Oliver Dillinger who had agreed. Stating his wife would have come had it been him.
Her brothers, Lord William Ryder, and Mr. Benjamin Hetherington accompanied them. All were focused on only one thing, Daniel’s return.
They were now stopped some distance from the clearing that he waited in. Oliver Dillinger had ridden on, a large silent figure, and then disappeared in the trees.
“Long enough,” Gabe said, sliding from his horse. “Tether your mounts, and we go in on foot.”
Michael lifted her down, then took her hand in his. “I know you will come anyway if we try to stop you, but you will listen to direction, Abby. I won’t have you taking risks.”
She didn’t answer, just nodded.
“And you say there are eight of them, Raine?” Mr. Hetherington asked.
“Yes.”
They moved silently through the trees, and it was as they approached the clearing they heard the sound of a raised voice. Then another sound she could not make out.
“Fists,” Nathan hissed.
Following the others, Michael led her in a circle. Mr. Hetherington then raised a hand for them to stop. He, Lord Ryder, and Gabe then moved closer.
Fear gnawed at her insides. Fear of what was being done to Daniel, the man she loved.
The three men returned. “They are fighting. The Dillinger brothers and two men… big men,” Gabe added. “Circling them are the other men in Jenny Blackheath’s group. Their weapons are trained on the trees. If we step out, we will be shot.”
“Decoy,” Abby whispered. “We need to create a decoy to draw them away.”
Her brothers looked at her in surprise.
“You don’t think I can form a rational idea?”
“Of course,” they said quickly.
“I will go to there.” She pointed over their heads, to just before the trees ended. “And scream help.”
“No, you are not putting yourself in—”
“Excellent idea, my lady.” Lord Ryder cut Michael off. “We’ll then pick off the men as they approach.”
“Not all will,” Mr. Hetherington cautioned.
“It’s a start,” Gabe said. “Go, Abby, and be careful.”
She tiptoed to the place she’d indicated, then threw back her head and screamed and screamed. She let out all of her fears and continued to scream until her throat was raw. Four men came to investigate. They were silenced by Lord Ryder, Zach, and Mr. Hetherington.
“I never knew you could scream like that.” Zach looked proud.
“Here, drink this, I’m sure your throat is sore.” Mr. Hetherington held out a flask. Abby sipped and tried not to cough as the fiery liquid hit her raw throat.
“That leaves four, and two are fighting,” Gabe said. “Let’s go.”
Daniel’s head was cloudy, and his knuckles were bleeding. Beside him, Oliver was swinging a beefy fist, and it connected with a McGill brother. Daniel ducked and kicked out with a foot, which connected with a shin forcing the other brother back.
The McGills were fighting fit, so the Dillinger brothers could not allow this to carry on much longer or they would lose, which in all fairness they likely still would. He’d heard the scream and hoped it was some kind of animal but knew in his heart it was Abby. Whoever was out there was trying to draw the men away from the clearing. Four had gone and as yet had not returned; he doubted Jenny Blackheath would make the same mistake.
“Move your feet!” Oliver roared as Daniel took one to the shoulder. Fire burned down his arm.
“Kill them!” Jenny Blackheath demanded. He was really starting to loathe that woman.
One of the men to her right fell as a gunshot rang out.
“Find whoever is shooting at us!” She was frantic now, her eyes on the fight, and he knew that she’d finish it if her men did not do so soon.
Another shot rang out, and suddenly she was alone, with only the McGill brothers to defend her.
“Stop! Step away from the Dillingers. I’m finishing them now!”
Daniel watched as she pointed her gun his way.
“No!”
He turned at the scream and saw Abby burst out of the trees. Turning back, he saw Jenny Blackheath’s focus switch, as did the aim of the gun she carried. Daniel pulled his knife from his boot. He then threw it. As if in slow motion, he watched the blade fly directly into Jenny Blackheath’s shoulder. Shrieking, she dropped the gun.
Men seemed to swarm from the trees. The Deville brothers, Will, and Ben.
“Daniel!”
He caught Abby as she ran at him. “My love,” he breathed into her hair. “God, I love you.”
She was incoherent, words pouring from her lips. Some he understood, others he did not. He simply held her until she calmed.
“I c-couldn’t lose you, Daniel.”
“I had no intention of dying, Abby, and you will never lose me.”
She smiled through her tears. The sweetest smile he’d ever seen.
“Marry me,” she whispered.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” He was smiling now too.
“Well, go on then.”
“Marry me, my love, my life?”
“Oh, yes.”
He kissed her, then moaned as pain shot through him.
“Your poor face.” She touched his abused cheeks and mouth.
“I’m not entirely sure there is a place on my body that doesn’t hurt.”
“I
