Sweet and gentle Harrison had been transformed into a barbarian. He appeared like an avenging angel out of thin air and literally leapt up into the air to attack Bickley. The bellow of rage she was hearing came from Harrison.
He was in a fury. He plucked Bickley from his saddle and threw him halfway down the road. Then he went after him. Everyone was shouting at the same time. Mary Rose wished to God the racket would stop. The noise made her head hurt all the more. Harrison wasn't making any noise now. He was fully occupied killing Bickley with his bare hands. From the look of deadly calm on his face, she didn't have any doubt about his intentions. If someone didn't stop him, he would kill the man who had attacked her.
She was stunned speechless. Harrison 's expression sent chills down her spine. He looked so… methodical. He certainly didn't fight like a gentleman. For that matter, neither did Bickley. He tried to pull his gun out and shoot his tormentor, but Harrison kicked the weapon out of his hand. Bickley reached for his knife then. Harrison seemed pleased by his tactic. He actually smiled. He waited until Bickley lunged toward him, then moved as quick as lightning and snatched the knife out of his hand.
A rifle shout sounded in the distance. Mary Rose spotted Douglas walking toward her. He had the shotgun propped against one hip and his six-shooter cocked and ready in his other hand. The men who'd tried to get away weren't riding their horses now. They walked back to the saloon in front of her brother. Douglas must have caught them in front of the stables, Mary Rose concluded.
Cole stood behind Harrison. He had his arms folded across his chest and smiled with satisfaction as he watched Bickley try every dirty trick possible.
Travis was suddenly kneeling by Mary Rose's side. He gently lifted her into his arms and stood up.
"Dear God, sister. Are you all right?"
He sounded frightened. She didn't nod for fear the movement would make her head hurt more. "I'm fine, really. You've got blood on your shirt. Are you all right?"
"It's your blood, not mine. It's all over the side of your face. He really belted you, didn't he?"
"Travis, what took you so long to get here? I've been waiting and waiting."
"Mary Rose, it all just happened. You must have gotten knocked senseless. Are you sure you're all right?"
"Why is Harrison pounding Bickley? He isn't supposed to know how to fight. Go and stop him before he gets hurt. Bickley's mean enough to kill him, Travis."
"Now, why would I want to do that? We all saw what the bastard did to you. Harrison 's fast, isn't he? He was on top of Bickley before Cole or I could even get to the corner."
"Please put me down. I can stand on my own."
"You'll only go after Harrison if I let go of you. He won't kill Bickley," he promised. "Cole probably will though. Just wait until he gets a gander at your face. You're a real mess, little sister. You've got blood spewing out of your forehead and more pouring out of the side of your mouth."
Henry and Ghost hovered like old-maid aunts behind the pair. Travis turned to the men. "Watch my sister while I go help Harrison, will you?"
"Give her to us," Henry said. "We'll protect her. Won't we Dooley?"
"Of course we will," his friend promised. He was still panting for breath. He had only just reached the general store to get the brothers when Bickley came outside and started hurting his Miss Mary. "Everything happened mighty fast."
"That's the truth," Henry agreed. "Lickety-split was how quick it happened."
Henry lifted Mary Rose into his arms and held her tight against his chest. In his attempt to comfort and shield her, he was inadvertently making it impossible for her to breathe.
"She don't weigh more than a feather," he remarked.
"Please put me down. Let me lean against you and Dooley."
"All right," he agreed. "But if you get dizzy, I'm picking you up again."
"Make her promise to stay here," Dooley suggested.
Henry thought that was a grand idea and made his hostage give him her word.
Ghost had come outside the saloon and was standing near the doorway. Henry turned to him. "Go and fetch a chair for Miss Mary, will you, Ghost? We'll sit her down against the wall. Then get us a bowl of water and some clean towels. They're behind the bar. We got to clean up Miss Mary before Cole sees her."
"I'm thinking you should be more concerned about that Harrison fella. He's a bigger worry than Cole."
"He's already seen her," Henry said. "Why do you think he's so mad?"
"Looks like he's about finished with Bickley. Think he killed him?"
"No. Bickley's still wiggling in the dirt."
"Could be the death wiggle," Dooley suggested. He rubbed his jaw and squinted at the man writhing on the ground.
"Knowing Harrison and how he feels about the law, I don't think Bickley's a goner."
Dooley didn't agree. "Make you a nickel wager."
"You got it."
"If Bickley's dead, I win."
Henry nodded. Mary Rose sincerely hoped both men would stop talking. She kept her attention focused on Bickley's cohorts. Douglas was forcing the five men to walk toward Harrison. They were still armed, and she was worried one or two of them might decide to try to shoot Harrison or Cole.
"I saw one of them fellas kick our Miss Mary right in her gut," Henry whispered. "Another one stepped on her, hard. Yes, sir, he did. Ain't it a pity for men to treat a lady like that?"
Dooley agreed it was a pity. He thought about it a few seconds more and then felt compelled to tell her brothers and her avenger what the men had done. He hurried over to the edge of the walkway.
" Harrison? Cole? One of them fellas kicked your Miss Mary right in her gut. The ugly one stepped on her. Hard too. Almost killed her, he did. Someone else tore her pretty dress. Yes, sir, that's what they did all right."
Mary Rose wanted to strangle Dooley. He was deliberately inciting Harrison and her brothers. Before she could hush Dooley, it was too late. Harrison had heard every word. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. His expression said it all.
"Why'd you go and tell Harrison? Cole's better with a gun," Henry remarked almost absentmindedly. He half dragged Mary Rose closer to the road so he'd have a better spot from which to watch the fight brewing.
"I told Harrison and Cole," Dooley said. "But I'm thinking Harrison 's much meaner. You see how he took after Bickley. Besides, Cole heard what I had to say. Those men do anything else to you,
Miss Mary?"
She gave Dooley a scathing look. If Bickley's friends had done anything else to her, she wasn't about to tell the town crier. She pulled away from Henry and made it past Dooley before they realized she'd gotten away.
"Catch her," Henry called out. "If there's shooting, she'll get herself done in trying to interfere. She's still in a daze, Dooley. You can see she is."
Dooley caught her around her middle and pulled her back to stand next to Henry again.
"What was I supposed to fetch?" Ghost asked the question from the doorway. Henry patiently reminded him what his errand was while Mary Rose once again edged her way to the corner.
She never took her attention away from Harrison. He stood ten or fifteen feet in front of Cole and Travis. Her brothers protected his back and had their attention on the men coming toward them.
The ugliest one of the bunch reached for his gun. Cole shot the weapon out of his hand before it had completely cleared his waistband.
The other men immediately raised their hands. They apparently didn't want to get into a gunfight.
Harrison turned to Cole. "Stay out of this," he ordered. "They're all mine."
Cole grinned. Travis shook his head. "You'll get killed and Mary Rose will get real pissed," he whispered so only Harrison and Cole could hear him.
Harrison had already turned back to Bickley's friends. "Take your guns off," he ordered.