The other men were suddenly very, very still. "We are going to give you your people, Miss Blake," Gideon growled. "There is no need for this."
"Thomas here asked what I had on my back. I'm showing him."
"You do not know me well enough to call me by my Christian name, Miss Blake," Carswell said.
I blinked at him. There was no fear in him. He was human--one pull on the trigger and he was gone--but there was no fear. I stared into his brown eyes and saw only... sadness. A tired sorrow as if he'd almost welcome it.
I shook my head. "Sorry, Captain Carswell."
"We cannot possibly let you go inside the tent with this weapon." His voice was very calm, matter of fact.
"Be reasonable, Anita," Richard said. "If things were reversed, you'd want them without weapons."
The trouble was I had to take off the coat to take off the machine gun. If I took off the coat, they'd see the knives. I didn't want to lose the knives. Of course, I'd still have the Firestar.
I let the machine gun slide back out of sight. "I'll have to remove my coat."
Carswell released my arm cautiously and stepped back, still close enough to grab me. I stared at his careful clothing. The jacket was too tailored for a shoulder holster, the pants had no pockets, but he could have had something at the small of his back.
"I'll remove my coat if you remove yours," I said.
"I have no weapons, Miss Blake."
"Remove your coat and I'll believe you."
He sighed and slid out of the red jacket, then turned in a full circle, arms spread to his sides. "As you see, no weapons." To be really sure I'd need to pat him down, but I didn't want him returning the favor, so I let it go.
I slipped out of the coat and watched his eyes widen at the wrist sheaths. "Miss Blake, I am impressed and disappointed."
I let the coat fall to the floor and slipped the strap over my head. I hated giving up the machine gun, but... I did understand. They'd been doing awful things to Gregory and Vivian. I wouldn't necessarily trust me with a gun if I were in their place. I took the clip out of the gun and handed the weapon to Carswell.
His eyes widened a little. "Fearful that I will turn on you and your friends?"
I shrugged. "Can't blame a girl for being cautious."
He smiled, and it almost reached his eyes. "No, I suppose I cannot."
I slid one of the knives out of its sheath and handed it to him hilt-first.
He waved it away. "You may keep your knives, Miss Blake. They will only be protection if someone gets very close, very personal. I think a lady should be allowed to defend her honor."
Damn, he was being nice, gentlemanly. If I kept the second handgun and he found out later, he might not be so nice. "Damn," I said.
Carswell frowned.
"I have one more gun."
"It must be very well concealed, Miss Blake."
I sighed again. "Inconveniently so, yes. Do you want it or not?"
He glanced back at Gideon, who nodded. "Yes, please, Miss Blake."
"Everybody turn their backs."
Amused or bemused looks all around.
"I have to raise the dress and flash the room to get the gun. I don't want anyone peeking." All right, it was stupid and juvenile, but I still couldn't just raise the dress in front of five men. My daddy brought me up better than that.