Chapter Twenty-four
“JEREMIAH!” DEIRDREtwisted against Morgan’s hold on her arm. He’d bound her hands when he found rope looped on the saddle of one of the horses they’d taken from outside the saloon, and her wrists chafed against the strands every time she moved.
“Are you the marshal?” Dunn asked as Jeremiah raised his hands. He stepped forward and yanked Jeremiah’s pistol from his hand.
“No, I’m the lady’s husband, and I demand you release her immediately.” Jeremiah’s voice was a snarl, and all Deirdre wanted to do was run to him and let him take her into his arms.
Morgan laughed at that, and the clanging sound echoed harshly in Deirdre’s ears. “And you’re the fellow who’s kindly paid her brother’s debt.”
Jeremiah’s face twisted, and for a moment, Deirdre thought he would shove Dunn aside and lunge right at Morgan. “I’ll take that while I’m here too.”
“On the contrary, good man. I’m taking the money and your wife. And you’ll stay here. Shoot him,” he said to Dunn.
“No!” Deirdre shouted, yanking so hard against Morgan that he stumbled against her.
“Now,” Morgan said, pulling her back toward him.
Dunn aimed his pistol as hooves thundered from somewhere on the other side of the hill.
“Wait.” Morgan held up a hand.
“Thatwould be the marshal. Or the county sheriff. Or perhaps both, along with a posse of men,” Jeremiah said.
Morgan retreated backward, pulling Deirdre along with him. He peered around the hill. “There’s no one out there.”
Dunn turned, and the second he did, Jeremiah flew at him, knocking the gun from his hand and landing a fist to the man’s jaw.
Then, almost as if she’d conjured them up from her mind, Deirdre spotted Sheriff Hunt and several other men emerging from around the hill behind Jeremiah.
Sheriff Hunt aimed his rifle at Morgan, while two of the other men pulled Jeremiah and Dunn apart. “Let the lady go.”
Morgan didn’t, not right away, but as more men lifted their weapons, he shoved Deirdre forward and raised his hands. She ran directly to Jeremiah, who was glaring at Dunn while another man held him back.
But the second he saw her, his face changed. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. Deirdre closed her eyes as she took in his warmth, his scent, his deep voice when he asked if she was hurt. She shook her head against his coat, never wanting to leave this very spot.
After a few minutes, Jeremiah gently pulled away. “Here, let me fix this.” He lifted a knife and cut through the ropes around Deirdre’s wrists. They fell to the ground, and he resheathed the knife.
Deirdre wrapped her arms around him, and he pressed her close. From the safety of her place against his chest, she watched as the sheriff placed handcuffs on both Morgan and Dunn. Then she looked up at Jeremiah. “How did you know to come?”
“Your brother. He found me. I sent him after help while I jumped on Robin Hood.”
“I love that horse,” Deirdre said.
“Only the horse?” Jeremiah said with mock horror.
“Perhaps his owner too,” Deirdre conceded.
“Perhaps. Huh.” Jeremiah smiled at her and then dropped a kiss to her forehead. “I’m so thankful you’re not hurt. I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t find you.”
She clutched his arms, reveling in the feel of him here, with her, and safe.
