Free Stand and Deliver Your Love by Killarney Sheffield Page B

anyone.”
    Swallowing, she called forth every ounce of courage she could muster. “Try me.” When his eyes flickered in hesitation, she felt confident enough to add, “You were going to hurt Dickie, which is reason enough for me to shoot.”
    He glanced at the frightened boy cringing in the corner who watched them with wide eyes. “I was not trying to hurt him. The little jackanapes stole my pocket watch!”
    “Dickie would never steal anything.”
    With a perturbed look he let go of her arm. “Oh? Is that so? Then ask him why he had my pocket watch in his hands when I awoke.”
    She opened her mouth to spurn his suggestion but thought better of it. “I am sure there is a reasonable explanation.”
    “There sure is. He stole it,” Byron growled.
    A shadow fell across the doorway. There was a dull thump. A look of pain and surprise replaced his glare. He swayed on his feet and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Sarah was relieved to see Bert standing in the door way with a stick of firewood in his hand.

 
      Chapter Seven
     
     
    “I told you not to stay here with that black'ard! Why did you untie him?”
    Byron cringed at the sound of Bert's voice. So that is who hit me.
    “I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, besides I had the situation well under control.”
    He laughed inwardly at Sarah's claim. Far from the truth. The whole situation is most definitely out of control.
    Bert snorted. “Yeah, sure you did. Did not look like it to me.”
    At least that was something they could both agree on. Byron made to touch his throbbing head and hush the loud voices that caused even more discomfort, but his hand stopped half way to his head. He tried unsuccessfully to lift it further. Groaning he slowly opened his eyes.
    Sarah stood defiantly glaring at the older man. “I had the gun in case you failed to notice.”
    “No doubt the libertine would have taken it, and had his way with you.” Bert shook his head, his disbelief plain to see.
    Byron looked up and realized his arm was tied to the bedpost. How long had he been out? He glared at Bert as realization of the man’s words dawned on him. “I would not! What do you take me for?” He turned his glare to Sarah.
    She scowled at him, but backed up a step nonetheless. “You would expect me to believe you would do me no harm, yet you attacked a defenseless little boy?”
    Byron’s voice rose with his mounting anger at her unjustness. “I did not attack the little wretch!” His head throbbed even harder. Closing his eyes for a brief second he struggled to regain control of his temper. Perhaps it was best to change his tactic. “I am sorry I frightened you. I believed the boy stole my watch.”
    Sarah glared at him. “You were shaking him.”
    “I was not. I was trying to get my watch back and the boy bit me.” He gestured with his head to the vivid set of teeth marks on his arm. “See?”
    Sarah glanced at his arm, and then crossed hers across her chest. “Well, you must have deserved it.”  
    Byron rolled his eyes. “About as much as I have deserved being knocked unconscious, not once, but twice by that big brute of yours.” He cast Bert a vicious look that was returned with the same malice. He sighed. “I just wanted my pocket watch back. Now can you please untie my arm?”
    “If the woman unties you I’ll not be held accountable for my actions,” Bert grumbled from the other side of the room.
    Sarah turned to the boy who was still sniffling in the corner. “Dickie, did you take his lordship’s watch?”
    The boy glanced at Byron as a few tears slipped from his red eyes and ran down
    his tear- stained cheeks. After a moment he nodded and hiccupped. Byron gave Sarah a vindicated grin which she ignored.
    She sighed. “Why did you take the watch, Dickie?”
    The boy looked down at the floor. “I wanted to see the pretty watch. I jus' wanted to practice telling time so you could see I was learning my studies good. I was gonna give it