just a day ago. Abby was now his main concern, and how he could make her his.
“We shall push on to Devon after this stop. I have sent word we should arrive early this evening,” Lord Raine said as they rode into the inn where they would change horses and stop for a meal.
Daniel felt as if he and Raine had had formed another truce today. There had been no sensitive subjects broached as they covered the miles riding together. Horses, buildings, and the inventions taking place in steam power. Which had surprised Daniel. He knew noblemen who did involve themselves in such things. Will and the twins, to name just a few, but most did not speak of commerce and change. Of course, if the earl knew what had transpired in that stable last night, he would likely have taken out his pistol and shot Daniel.
They had only just seated themselves when the door to the parlor they were in opened, and in walked four men. Something about them made Daniel take a second look, but he didn’t recognize any of them. They looked around the room, passing over Daniel and the others. He watched as they sat at a table. For some reason, he kept his eyes on them.
“Do you know them, Dillinger?”
“No.” He shook his head, eyes still on the group. When one of them looked their way, he met the glance. The man nodded; he returned the gesture.
As they ate the meal, he felt their eyes on them occasionally. Was he just feeling on edge due to Abby or was this more?
“I think we should leave now so we can arrive in Devon before night fall,” Daniel said when everyone had finished eating. Lord Raine nodded his agreement.
He was usually a man with a steady temperament. Rarely did he find trouble where it was not. Having been raised in a mining town where turbulence was a way of life, Daniel now relished the peace that usually reigned over his life.
It was her fault that he was feeling uneasy. Abby was playing havoc with his control.
He and Raine mounted up, and soon the carriage was rolling out with them behind it.
“Why did those men make you uneasy, Dillinger?”
“I’m unsure, but every time I looked at them, one of them was looking at us.”
“Which simply suggests they are nosey and that we are in the company of two beautiful women.”
“There is that,” Daniel grunted.
They rode on for another twenty minutes before he heard the thunder of hooves. Looking over his shoulder, he saw horses coming toward them at speed. The men from the inn were approaching. With them were at least six more riders.
“Trouble, Raine!” Daniel roared. He pulled closer to the carriage. “Go as fast as you can!” he directed the driver.
He took the left, and Raine the right side of the carriage.
“Keep your head inside, we are being followed!” he bellowed to Abby, who was now framed in the window.
“What’s happening!”
“We’re being followed! Sit down!”
Her head disappeared. Looking behind him, he saw the men were closing in and fast. They would be caught in minutes. There were too many to stand and fight; he knew that, as did the earl. If he shot one, there would be eight more to take him down. But one thing he was sure of was that they would not get Abby. No matter what it took, he would not allow that to happen.
“We can’t outrun them!” Raine roared.
The first bullet whistled past Daniel’s head.
“Arm yourself!” Raine told his drivers.
“Stop or I will shoot you!” The words came from behind him. He waited for the bullet, but it did not come.
Two riders passed him to slow the carriage. He pulled his horse in beside Raine, they urged them to stand in front of the carriage doors. The drivers stood with guns also.
It was a standoff; however, they were outnumbered two to one.
The men formed a line a few feet from where they stood. Daniel trained his gun on who he believed was the leader of the group. All had their faces covered and weapons trained on them.
His heart pounded as fear ran through him. They would not take her from him, not now he’d just found her. Suddenly now he saw that was a possibility, nothing else mattered, only that he had to keep her safe.
“They don’t get her,” Raine said.
“No matter what it takes,” Daniel confirmed.
“Aye.”
“Where are the guns?” Abby said through the window.