He howled, rubbing the injury before glaring at her. “I like feisty women.”
Abby doubted that. He looked furious, and for the first time, Abby was afraid for herself. She glanced around at the crowd, the sounds of grunts and fisticuffs echoing in her ears. No one was paying attention to them. They were too caught up in their own brawls.
The second man moved forward, and she swiped out with her stick, but he sidestepped her swing and caught the end, yanking the weapon from her hand. “I’ll take this now.”
She held out her hands and screamed, but he grabbed her upper arms and hauled her against him. His nostrils flared as he sensed victory, and his vile breath wafted to her.
“Release me now!”
He just laughed and looked up at the other man. “You’re right, Clive. I think I like them feisty too.”
Someone in the cart screamed, and she looked up. Other men were reaching into the wagon and grabbing at their skirts. Terror filled her heart. “Let them go! Let them—”
Three gunshots rang in the air.
Everyone stilled, and a moment later, a familiar male voice echoed over the crowd. “Release those women now. You have five seconds until someone gets shot.”
Chapter 5
Lucas lingered in the hotel lobby, speaking with a gentleman from the East, when he held up his hand, forcing the man to pause mid-sentence. “Do you hear that?” he asked, angling his ear toward the door.
The noise was sporadic, the occasional holler or whistle, but soon, the noise grew louder, more consistent. Lucas’ instincts kicked in, and he headed for the hotel door.
The noise grew deafening once he stepped outside. There were men swarming a wagon in front of the mercantile. He cursed, moving forward as a fight broke out and women started yelling. He didn’t have to see the women to know they were the ones he’d settled at the house.
He yelled and even threw a few punches of his own, but the men had become a mob. He’d known the difficulties of bring in a group of women to a mining town like this, but he’d had no idea it would be this bad.
He tried again to handle this in a civilized fashion, but as he dodged a punch, he caught sight of pink lace. Lead settled in his gut. One of the women was out of the wagon. Panicked, he looked up and saw the mob start to pull down the five ladies he’d brought in by train.
That left Abigail. His eyes darted back to where he’d seen the pink through the sea of bodies.
Dread rolled through him, and he started pushing his way through the group, frantic to get to her. A stray punch landed in his stomach, and he bent over, wheezing to catch his breath. His attacker shrugged and went after someone else.
Abigail’s scream echoed through the crowd.
Murder spread through his veins. He yanked his gun out of his holster, pointed it to the sky and fired three times.
It had the desired effect.
Sensing danger, the men settled down, wary of Lucas’ intentions. “Release the women now. You have five seconds until someone gets shot.” He meant it too. If the two men close to Abigail didn’t release her and step away immediately, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
When neither man moved a muscle, only sizing him up as an opponent, a deadly calm settled over Lucas. He always went numb before a fight. Becoming cold, calculating. But for the first time, a glimmer of rage rose to the surface.
He was angry the women were being attacked, but he was livid that any man dared touch her.
He stepped forward, cocking his gun before aiming at one of the men. “Five. Four. Three. Two—” Before he could say one, both men released her and backed away with their hands raised.
Satisfaction wove through him as he quickly glanced at Abigail. She had a small tear in her sleeve, and he swore he would avenge her once they were all safe. Otherwise, she looked unharmed. A little shaken up, but whole.
He directed his weapon at the men surrounding the wagon, still posing a threat to the other ladies. “Move.”
They didn't have to be told twice. The men scurried away immediately.
Lucas placed himself between the mob and the wagon. “These women are under my protection. If any of you come near them again, you’ll answer to me. Do not touch them, do not approach them, don’t even look at them unless they’ve invited you to do so. Do I make myself clear?”
Several of the men agreed, but there were plenty of grumbles as well. He’d have to deal with that later.
“Good. Now leave.” Lucas didn’t move from his spot until everyone had left. A few men glared at him as they walked away, and Lucas wondered what kind of trouble they’d bring. He might have to talk to Rhys about it. He hated the necessity, but he had to get information on who he was dealing with. He would do anything to keep Abigail, and the rest of the women, safe.
When he felt the danger pass, he turned to the ladies. “Are you all well? Are any of you injured?”
Lily rubbed her arms. “Only shook up, I think.”
He nodded grimly. “I’m sorry for what just happened. I knew you’d receive attention, but I had no idea of the extent.”
Abigail’s shoulders dropped. “I didn’t realize either. I’m sorry. I put you all in jeopardy.”
Emery vaulted down from the wagon and placed her hand on Abigail’s shoulder. “This isn’t your fault. No one could have foreseen this. Never in my wildest dreams would this happen. We’ll just have to be more careful next time.”
The women started discussing what they should do, but Abigail remained uncharacteristically silent. He moved closer to her. “Are you truly all right?” He reached out to touch her, to pull her in close to him, but realized it was no longer his right.
He curled his fingers into his palms and lowered his hand. “If you’re uncomfortable, I can get Rhys. He can make arrangements for you.” It was hard to offer, but she deserved to have someone she loved and respected taking care of her.
She seemed a bit dazed, but finally nodded. “All right. It’s probably best he knows about this.”
He nodded and then looked at the rest of the women. “Let’s go into the hotel and have lunch while we discuss how we’re going to avoid this in the future.”
The women agreed, and they moved as a unit, each of them sending quick glances over their shoulders to make certain they weren’t being followed. They were uneasy, and it boiled his blood that the men in town had scared them. How were they supposed to set up a community, to bring in more women, when the ones they already had were treated harshly?
He glanced over at Abigail, and, while her head was held high, her arms were wrapped around her middle. She was trying to be strong, but he could tell she was struggling. It took every ounce of willpower he had to leave her alone.
They stepped onto the boardwalk, and he ushered the women through the hotel entrance. Instantly, he could tell the women felt safer. Grace, Hannah, and Charlotte lost the look like they were being hunted, and Lily and Emery stopped glanced over their shoulders.
He was about to suggest they move toward the dining room when he met Rhys’ furious eyes. Abigail’s brother wasted no time in coming over to the group. “What happened? Are you all right?” He stepped closer to his sister, checking to make sure she was sound before leveling a glare at Lucas. “Get away from her.”
Lucas didn’t blame Rhys in the slightest, but he wasn’t about to leave the women alone. His chin notched up as he stood his ground, but before he could stay anything, Abigail reached out and placed a hand on her brother’s arm. “It’s all right. He saved us, actually.”
“Saved you?” Shock and disbelief tinged his voice. “From what?”
Emery explained, “The moment we arrived in town, men swarmed the wagon. They were a little too enthusiastic.”
Rhys’ jaw clenched, but he nodded, clearly understanding. “But you’re well? No one was injured.”
“We’re fine,” Abigail said softly. “They scared us, but if Lucas—Mr. McDermott—hadn’t been there, it would’ve been a lot wo
rse.”
No one missed her slip, especially Lucas. Hearing her say his name once more filled him with something he’d thought died long before.
Longing.
Unfortunately, Rhys hadn’t missed it either. “Thank you for bringing them here,” he said through gritted teeth.
“It was the right thing. They need protection.”
Rhys nodded, looking over the women. “What’s the plan now?” He glanced at his sister. “Are you staying in the hotel?”
Abigail shook her head immediately. “I can’t run away from this. It’s my life. It’s our life. We need to return home and move on. The men will calm down, adjust to having more women around. And soon, hopefully, even more will arrive. It’ll be all right.”
Lucas glanced at Rhys, and their eyes met. They knew such a thing wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon.
“We’ll figure it out,” Rhys said, trying to reassure the group. “Let me get Willow, and we’ll meet you in the private dining room. I’ll make the arrangements.” He’d already signaled his assistant who then gestured for their group to follow him.
Lucas allowed the women to go first, but Abigail remained at the back. He realized she wasn’t following. “What is it?” he asked.
She took a deep breath before looking him in the eyes. The force of those green depths robbed him of breath. She was stunning, gorgeous, and he realized in that moment, he’d never forgotten her. He’d never moved on.
And now, he wasn’t sure if he ever would.
“I just wanted to say thank you. For what you did out there. If you hadn’t intervened, it would have turned out very differently.” She didn’t wait for him to respond. Instead, she quickly followed the others, as if scared to hear what he had to say.
She needn’t have worried though. He wasn’t sure he could even speak. For the first time in eight years, he wondered if leaving had been a mistake.
Chapter 6
As everyone filed into the large, private dining room, Abby’s muscles unraveled. What had happened with the mob was horrible, but no one could’ve foreseen it. How were they going to stop it from happening in the future?
They were seated and served drinks immediately. No one seemed to care what they ate, so Lucas ordered for them all—one of her favorite meals.
She wondered if it was coincidence or if he remembered she favored it. At the thought, she gently berated herself. Of course, he didn’t remember.
Luckily, Rhys and Willow soon entered the room, and she didn’t have to think about it further. “Have you ordered?” he asked.
“Just now.” Lucas answered for the group.
“Good.”
Rhys escorted Willow to the table, and as they took their seats, his hand lingered an extra moment on her stomach as if to remind her of the baby she carried. When Willow smiled reassuringly at her husband, Abby felt and ache in her heart. She wanted that someday. A husband who cared for her, protected her, but didn’t try to control her.
Catching her sister-in-law’s attention, Willow smiled at Abby before she turned her attention to the new women. “I’m Willow, and I’m so happy to meet you all, even though the circumstances could be better. I’m sorry for what’s happened. I don’t know if you know much about me or my situation, but when I first arrived it was similar to yours. I came with a large group of unmarried women. And the men in town…let’s just say they behaved similarly.” She shook her head regretfully. “I want to assure you that this is not how it will always be. Things will calm down, and you’ll all be able to lead great lives here.”
“Thank you,” Lily said. “I think I speak for all of us when I say I truly hope that’s the case.”
The others nodded.
Lucas took command of the situation. “Now that we’re settled, we need to come to some decisions. What just happened out there cannot, under any circumstance, happen again. You ladies are integral in expanding the town, and I refuse to have you chased off. Rest assured, you’ll be protected.”
Rhys nodded in agreement. “None of you know me, but I’m Rhys Winthrop. Abby is my sister, and I own this hotel.”
“We’ve heard of you before,” Grace offered easily. “I think you’d have to be living under a rock for the last decade to not hear of your hotels.”
He smiled, pleased. “What you probably don’t know is that I take the protection of the people in my life very seriously.”
Willow snorted and rolled her eyes playfully. “You can say that again.”
The joke eased some of the tension in the room, and Abby was grateful. “I second that.”
Rhys smiled, amused. “Yes, well, my point is you’re not alone here.”
“Exactly,” Lucas said. “You’re not alone. We’ve brought you here, and we’re not abandoning you. Our number one goal is to get you all settled in positions you’ll enjoy. Let me make this very clear: you are not required to marry. We never had that stipulation, and we never will. However, if you choose to do so, please do so with our blessing.”
The women nodded again, but Charlotte lifted a finger to get everyone’s attention. “We were speaking on the way here. Not all of us know what we’d like to do, but a few of us have ideas. Is it possible for us to choose our jobs, or will you place us somewhere to start, and then we’ll change as desired after?”
Lucas nodded. “Excellent question. Ideally, we’d find you a position of your choosing. Something you’ll enjoy. We want you to be happy here. And perhaps write home about how amazing it is so others will take the leap and join you.”
More chuckles sounded, and Abby was surprised she’d laughed as well. Lucas was charming, more than he’d ever been in the past. When they were younger, he’d been brash, forthright, and would push until he got his way. He’d changed in that time, developed more than just his outward polish.
When everyone quieted down, he took command again, his tone more serious. “While all of that will happen—shortly—we need to diffuse the current situation first. There is no way we can find positions for you when your safety is in question.”
Hannah frowned. “But how? I thought I’d gotten through to them, but it only took one comment for a riot to break out. These men aren’t civilized.”
Before Lucas could say something, Abby interrupted. “Oh, but they are. Please, give them a chance. I’ve been here for a year now. The men, while a little high spirited, are really quite gentle and charming. I’ve been courted by several of them, and they’ve behaved in complete, gentlemanly fashion. I won’t lie. They aren’t like the men back east. They’re stronger and more passionate, but I think you’ll come to find them to your liking.”
Willow was smiling in agreement while Rhys looked amused as he eyed Lucas. Confused, she glanced at Lucas and found his posture rigid.
He cleared his throat. “Exactly. I think, if given the chance, these men will impress you. I know it isn’t why you’ve come, but this town is full of millionaires. They’re looking to establish themselves and start families, and you would each be very well taken care of if you decide to marry.”
He glanced over at Abby, and her stomach flipped at the heat she saw there. There was no mistaking it. But when he blinked, it was gone.
She thought over what she’d said. He couldn’t possibly be…jealous. Could he?
Lily waved off the idea of marrying well. “ I would like to start my life here without delay. How do you suggest we go about calming them down?”
Abby bit her lip. “Well, I’m not sure if you’re going to like this, but why don’t we give them what they want?”
Hannah arched a brow. “What exactly do you mean? They want us,” she said, as if Abby hadn’t grasped that.
“Exactly. They want us. I sincerely doubt any amount of hiding is going to change that. What they need is to get to know you. To see that you aren’t going to be snapped up like the last flapjack on the table.”
Lucas and Rhys didn’t appear to like her idea, but Willow nodded. “I agree. It’s almost like wha
t we had to do when we first got here. We allowed the men to court us, and while they competed with each other, we gave them ways to channel their enthusiasm. Since we were short on funds in the beginning, we even auctioned off picnic baskets we’d made. The winners got to eat with us. Let’s just say, I never expected such high bids for my ham and cheese sandwiches.” The women laughed, charmed at the idea. “The men really are wonderful, if you give them a chance.”
Charlotte nodded, determination gleaming in her china-blue eyes. “I agree. Right now, we’re shiny, new toys. Let’s give them a chance to get used to us and for the frenzy to pass.”
Lucas seemed to mull it over, but he finally agreed. “All right. I think it’s the best plan at this point. Let’s host a controlled gathering where the men can get to know you all. With any luck, after an evening of mingling, we can move forward with our business.”
“Agreed,” Rhys said. “May I suggest hosting it here? My staff can keep extra eyes on the women, and having it in the hotel will also reinforce manners.”
Emery looked around. “What will we do? Talk the whole evening?” She looked less than thrilled. “Sounds exhausting.”
Abby smiled. “It doesn’t have to be like that.”
“We could have a ball,” Hannah suggested.
Grace’s lips turned down. “I’m not a very good dancer.”
A perfectly arched brow rose on Hannah’s face. “We could practice.”
Grace shuddered. “I’ll pass.”
“All right. No ball,” Lily agreed.
Abby tapped her lip. “I think the problem is that it’s overwhelming. Having the men’s attention only on the five of you.”
The women nodded quickly. “Exactly,” Emery agreed. “I feel like I’m going to get cornered with no way out.”
“Why don’t we invite the rest of the town? Married couples and other single women. We could even do something where men and women are paired for, oh, three to five minutes, talk, and then change partners. It would move quickly, stay interesting, and hopefully, be less overwhelming.” Willow suggested.
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