had been plaguing Daniel. It made no sense. Jacob Blackheath had died many years ago in prison, Oliver had told him that. Why had they waited this long to exact the revenge?
“I told you why, ’tis time for my family to be avenged,” she said.
“It’s taken you many years to reach that decision, it seems.”
“Be quiet.”
“You could have taken any of us at any time in the last few years, but you waited. I’m curious as to why?”
Jenny shot the two men who sat with her a look. They shrugged.
“He’ll know soon enough anyway,” one of them said.
“He’ll know when I bloody well say he’ll know,” Jenny said. “Gag him. I don’t want to hear any more of his yammering.”
“Excuse me, but I have never yammered a day in my life,” he said. “You may as well tell me what it is you have planned.”
“Gag him!”
“You do know that all this revenge business has addled your brain, don’t you? You’ve wasted years and years on this, when you could have been living your life. Seems a waste.”
“Shut him up!”
A filthy piece of cloth was stuffed into his mouth, and he battled the needed to gag. There was more to this encounter. He just had no idea what, and that worried him. What would his brother be walking into? He would come, as would others, but not Abby. Thankfully her brother would have ensured she was safe. At least in this he could find a small measure of relief.
He slept as cold gnawed at him, but he didn’t let it weaken him. Daniel had to stay strong for what was to be faced… in whatever form it took.
Finally he was pulled to his feet and lifted onto the back of a horse once more. His legs were numb, and he clenched his muscles to get them working.
“Quiet now,” someone whispered after they’d been riding awhile. “We need to get in place. Remember, no shots will be fired until after the fight.”
Fight? What fight? Wasn’t Blackheath’s intention to shoot him and Oliver? Now there was to be a fight? What the hell was going on?
They moved off the road and into the trees, and Daniel ducked to avoid low-hanging branches. They came out into Hindmarsh Clearing where the trees formed a circle. It was here they stopped and waited.
“You men take up your positions. Make sure your guns are trained on Dillinger and his brother at all times. If he has brought others, shoot them,” Jenny Blackheath stated calmly.
Was she really that foolish to believe Oliver would come alone? That whoever he brought would show themselves immediately? Surely if she’d waited this long for her revenge, she had a better plan than that one?
“Just a few minutes, Mr. Dillinger, and if your brother does not appear, then he will find you dead.”
As he had his gag still in place so he couldn’t reply to that, but he wanted to.
He heard the rustling as the sun began to set and knew it was Oliver. He rode out of the trees and into the clearing alone. His brother loathed riding, so he doubted the journey here had been a pleasant one, which was the most foolish thought he’d had in his head since this entire incident began. Why would his ride from London have been pleasant when supposedly he was to die here? Clearly fatigue was addling his thoughts.
Oliver’s eyes found Daniel. He studied him for several seconds before moving on.
Neither of them would die here.
Seeing his brother made a lump form in his throat. Big, solid, and yes, loved. He would not allow his life to be snuffed out this night. Could not allow it. The anger he felt toward him no longer mattered; what mattered was that he lived.
“Miss Blackheath, I presume.”
His jacket was black, as were his boots, and his necktie neatly tied. Always the gentleman, if not by birth then by character. In that moment, Daniel realized this was the more important of the two. Abby was right, birthright did not make a man honorable.
“Get the brother down and remove his binds and the gag,” Jenny Blackheath said.
“You are aware that your father and uncle were the lowest form of vermin, Miss Blackheath, aren’t you? They deserved to die, and it is not I who was in the wrong,” Oliver said. The only indication that he was in a rage was the hand he had fisted on the reins.
Daniel was dragged from his horse and the gag removed. Oh, the