“Ready to head out?” he asked.
“In a little bit. He was badly upset by all the gunfire but I think he will settle down well in a minute now that he is full.”
“Settle him now,” said James. “I’m getting the feeling those idiots have found friends or courage.” James jumped on his horse.
“Another feeling?” she grumbled. “Am I going to have to make George run again? He really hates that.”
“I fear so,” James said, his voice full of laughter. “He’s strange, but he is a big boy. He can handle it.”
“We’ll go and make certain the gates are opened for you, Matthew, and that they know you are running in,” said Owen and hurried back to his horse, his brother following him. “Be back to lend you a hand in a bit so don’t get shot.”
“That was kind of him,” she said and then sighed because Matthew was laughing. Abbie decided she would never understand the things men thought were funny.
She settled Jeremiah in his bed, prayed the baby would be allowed to sleep, petted the goat, and got back in the wagon seat. Abbie really hoped that this time James’s feeling was wrong. She just wanted to settle somewhere for a little while before there was any more danger. She was not so naïve she believed there was any place on earth where there was not some danger, but she really wanted just a little while to enjoy quiet and safety.
“He really needs to stop havingfeelings,” she muttered as she picked up the reins.
“Until he does, we will listen to them,” said Boyd as he sat down next to her. “Matthew and Dan say his feelings have saved their hides many times.”
“Then let’s head for these gates,” she said, and urged George into a quick pace.
Boyd clutched at the seat. Abbie noticed that even the hand on his wounded arm was working to hold him in his seat but she said nothing. The young man was just too afraid to knowingly try it out but she suspected that would change soon. It would have to occur to him soon. She idly wondered if there was any trick she could use to make him notice it faster.
Her eyes widened with a touch of fear as she glanced back and saw more armed men running after them. Abbie wondered where they were coming from since she had heard that a lot of the army had left the area. She also wondered what they thought they could gain from them as there was nothing obvious that would tempt their greed.
Matthew and the others were doing a fine job of holding them back but she worried about them, especially when she saw that Matthew was back on his horse again. She was going to smack him when she got off the wagon. She understood his need to stand by his friend James but the fool was going to rip his stitches open.
She heard Boyd curse and looked at him but he was staring forward. Following his gaze she frowned as she saw the large stockade come into view. The Jones brothers stood on either side of the open gates and she urged George toward them even though she knew the animal was tiring. The moment she did so, the men ran to leap onto their horses and rush to aid Matthew and James.
“I didn’t think we were going to a fort.”
“This is his home,” said Boyd. “He told me they had put up a fence.”
“A fence.” She shook her head. “He probably thinks that is funny. Are those men up on the walls?”
“I think so. Like coming to a castle, ain’t it, only this one is made of wood.”
“Right now what it looks like to me is safety.”
Chapter Fifteen
Abbie sped through the gates and quickly drew the wagon to a halt. People came running out of the house. She leapt down and rushed to take George out of his harness. She was just freeing him when a tall, dark-haired man rushed up with straw to rub him down. Abbie abruptly stopped murmuring soothing words to George and stared at the man, trying to find something that would tell her he was one of Matthew’s brothers.
“Fine sturdy cart horse, lass. Havenae seen one like this for a while. I am Iain, Matthew’s older brother.”
“Hello, Iain. I am Abigail Jenson.” She then heard gunfire and quickly looked around. “I thought we had run into a fort.”
“Lots of folk think that. Just the MacEnroy place.”
“Oh, Jeremiah,” Abbie cried when a wail came from the back of the wagon, and she hurried over, getting back in the wagon, to collect the baby.
Matthew, James, and the Jones brothers rode in just as she picked up the child. When she began to get out of the wagon several men shut the gates then ran up ladders to a walkway at the top of the wall. She had to wonder what kind of life the MacEnroys lived that made them believe they needed such protection. The moment she was back on the ground a small, blond woman hurried over to her.
“I am Emily, Iain’s wife. Do you want me to hold the babe as you get your goat down?”
“If you would, please.” She gently handed over Jeremiah who still fussed but quickly grew quiet. “It has just been too much noise and fast, rough travel for the child.” She kissed Jeremiah’s cheek then went to fetch the goat.
When Abbie brought Delphinium down, she stood and stared at the goat for a moment. “You need a new name. We are going to be stuck with each other for a while and I cannot keep calling you Delphinium.”
