On Dangerous Ground by Jack-Higgins

Author:Jack-Higgins [Jack-Higgins]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1994-11-28T07:00:00+00:00

There was smoke beyond the trees, the sound of children’s voices, so they were not taking him to Morgan and he realized he had made something of a miscalculation. They moved down into a hollow containing the camp. The three wagons were old with canvas tilts and patched many times, far removed from the romantic idea of a caravan. There was an air of poverty to everything from the shabby clothes worn by the women who squatted by the fire drinking tea to the bare feet of the children who played in the grass beside several bony horses.

Fergus gave Dillon a push that sent him staggering forward and the women scattered. The children paused in their play and came to watch. Hector Munro sat himself on an old box vacated by one of the women, placed his shotgun across his knees, and took out a pipe. Fergus and Rory stood slightly behind Dillon.

“An attack on one of us is an attack on all, Mr. Dillon, or whatever your name is. The great pity you weren’t knowing that.” He stuffed tobacco into his pipe. “Rory.” Rory moved fast, pulling Dillon’s arms behind him, and the old man said, “Enjoy yourself, Fergus.”

Fergus moved in fast and punched Dillon in the stomach right and left handed. Dillon made no move except to tense his muscles, and Fergus drove a fist into his ribs on the right side. “Now for that pretty face of yours,” he said. “Hold his head up, Rory.”

In taking a handful of Dillon’s hair, Rory had to release one of his arms. Dillon flicked a foot forward catching Fergus in the crutch, half-turned delivering a reverse elbow strike to the edge of Rory’s jaw. The big man released him, staggering back, and Dillon ran for it and stumbled headlong as one of the women stuck out a foot.

He rolled desperately as they all kicked at him, even the children, and then there was the drumming of horses, and a voice called, “Stop that, damn you!” and a shotgun was fired.

The women and children broke and ran and Dillon got up to find Murdoch on horseback, a shotgun braced against his thigh. Behind him Carl Morgan and Asta rode down into the hollow. Dillon was aware of Fergus slipping under one of the wagons.

“Stay there, you silly bastard,” Rory hissed in Gaelic, then glanced at Dillon in alarm, realizing he had heard.

Carl Morgan urged his mount down into the hollow. The hooves of his horse scattered the fire, and he pulled on the right rein so that the animal turned, its hind quarters catching Hector Munro a blow that sent him staggering.

He reined in. “Tell them who I am,” he ordered.

“This is Mr. Carl Morgan, new tenant of Loch Dhu Castle,” Murdoch said, “and your employer.”

“Is that so?” Hector Munro said.

“So bare your head, you mannerless dog,” Murdoch told him, leaned down from his horse, and plucked the old man’s bonnet from his head and threw it down.

Rory took a step forward and Dillon said in Irish, “Easy boy, there’s a time and a place for everything.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.