“Then Annie needs to cease working at the warehouse,” Niall said.
Aidan raised a brow. “Somehow, I doona see her agreeing to do that.”
“Of course she will nae agree to it.” Niall set his jaw. “I will persuade her.”
The other brow went up. “Have ye learned nothing from Alasdair? He was nae successful in curbing Bridget.”
“That was different,” Niall answered.
“Be that as it may,” Owen said, “but the warehouse is probably fairly safe.”
Niall folded his arms across his chest. “How so?”
“First of all, the barley farmers who use the warehouse are not involved with the unions,” Owen replied. “Neither are our kelp shipments.”
“But what of the weavers? Half the warehouse is full of woolens.”
Owen nodded. “But the weavers were not there last night. Haines assured me they had walked out before the melee started.”
“Why did they leave?”
“They were nae happy with the women speaking,” Aidan said.
“Which just proves my point, nae?” Niall asked. “If the weavers are angry, they might vent that on Annie while she is at work.”
“Haines assured us that he will deal directly with the weavers, and Kingsley vowed to keep order at the warehouse.”
Niall didn’t particularly like Kingsley, but the man had the size to impose order among the workers. Perhaps Annie would be safe for a few days until Niall could figure a way to convince her to seek other employment. Meanwhile, he would double his efforts of escorting her everywhere, armed to the teeth. She wasn’t going to slip away from him so easily again.
“There is just one more thing,” Owen said.
Niall turned to him. “What?”
“I also spoke to Inis today.” Owen had an odd expression on his face, one that Niall couldn’t read. The hair at Niall’s nape began to rise. “And?”
“The women are organizing a protest march.”
“They are doingwhat?”
“A protest march,” Owen repeated. “They intend to use what happened to Annie as a way to shame the men for their actions.”
Niall was suddenly very glad he was sitting down. Hellfire and damnation. Annie Ferguson was going to be the death of him yet.
Chapter Ten
“Ye arenaegoing to march!”
They had scarcely left the steps of the boardinghouse on the walk to work the next morning before Niall made his announcement. Annie stopped in her tracks. “How did ye find out about that?”
“Inis told us.” Niall narrowed his eyes. “Ye were thinking about sneaking out on me again, like ye did Monday night, nae?”
“I dinnaesneakanywhere. I left in a carriage.”
“Ye ken verra well what I mean, lass. Ye were near killed.”
Annie shook her head. “I doona think anyone meant to kill me.”
“Those men were nae throwing flower petals in the air.”
