Mystic Mountains

one and the same time, so then she would have her chance.
    "You 're a dead man, Jones, why not give up now," she insisted, pressing her heels into the grass.
    "In that case I may as well enjo y my last moments on this earth." His chuckle made her hair stand on end. He was right, what had he to lose?
    The pistol pressed into her side and Isabella swallowed a groan of fear. What was she to do?
     
    * * *
     
    Tiger rode as if the devil was at his heels. All thought of punishing Bella for leaving had fled. All he could think of was what Jones would do to her given the chance. God, the foolish woman had set off with just Johnny and the silly chit Agnes. What did she expect to achieve?
    He knew the answer to that. She wished to mak e him pay. To prove to him she was capable of living without him. Well, that may be so, but absence had shown him he could not live without her. She and the children were coming back with him, where they belonged.
    He saw the tents at the same time as he caught sight of two people heading towards a stand of trees some short distance from the camp. Jones—and he had Bella. Urging Satan on he raced headlong for the tents, dropping to his feet before his horse came to a standstill.
    "Thank the Lord. " Johnny grasped his shirtsleeve and shook it. "Jones has a pistol, boss, I couldn't do a thing to help the missus. He's heading for the trees."
    "I know, I saw them. Tim, are you all right?" Tiger pulled his son into his arms, and held him tight for a moment.
    "I 'm good, Tiger, but that nasty man has Mama, and our Annie keeps crying and Agnes don't know what to do." Tim wiped a fist across his nose, leaving a streak of grime behind.
    Tiger put him down and turned to Agnes. "Quiet, girl," he commanded, for Agnes 's sniveling made Annie cry more. "Stay down, in case Jones fires at me. All right?"
    With a nod at Johnny he set off at a run towards the trees where Jones and Bella were now hidde n. Crouching low he slowed as he neared.
    "Jones! What do you think to gain by this madness? Give yourself up now before this gets out of hand," he yelled, pressing himself against the silvery bark of a eucalyptus.
    "Sod off. Bastard English scum." The Welshman mumbled a string of vile oaths.
    "Get your drunken arse out of there now man, and let 's settle this matter," Tiger shouted. "Give up the weapon, you bloody fool. Then perhaps I might think about showing some lenience."
    "Piss off!" Jones shouted back. "I don 't want your sodding len . . .lin . . . ence." His slurred voice proclaimed his drunken state.
    "That 's up to you, man. Either way, if you don't let the mistress go and come out now you'll end up before the magistrate."
    "You 'll have to kill me first. What do you take me for, a bloody idiot?" Jones cackled and Tiger wiped at the sweat beading his forehead. At least while he kept the man talking he could do little with Bella.
    "Tiger. " Bella’s cry was muffled. Jones must have pressed a hand over her mouth.
    "Bella? Has he harmed you? Are y ou all right?" Tiger gripped the pistol he’d taken from his belt. If he could only get Jones to release her he might be able to take a shot at him.
    "Let her go, Jones, now, and you 'll get off light, man."
    Ye gods. He hated feeling so helpless.
    A few moments went by, then the Welshman shouted, "It 'd be easy for you to kill me, wouldn't it eh, Tiger bloody Carst . . . tairs? You did away with poor old Dougal, didn't you? Poor old Dougal." He mumbled some more. "Got rid of the silly bugger, nice and neat, 'cos you lusted after this lady here. We all knew you never intended to search for his body, didn't we?"
    "That 's not true." Tiger sucked in a deep calming breath as he peered around the tree. When he caught sight of a flash of white about twenty yards away he quickly dashed to another tree. "It was an accident and everyone knows I would have gone down to bring the body up." All his anguish and self-loathing returned. He still had nightmares where he saw Dougal's body being ripped apart by wild boars. Often he awoke sweating with Dougal's screams still ringing in his ears.
    No one mentioned Dougal's death after that dreadful day on the Big Hill and he presumed, hoped, it was forgotten. Did anyone still hold him responsible?
    "Think we 're stupid?" Jones bawled. "There's not a man in camp who don't lust after the missus. Me along with 'em. And now I have her. And there isn't a bloody thing you can do about it."
    Tiger 's fists clenched so tightly they ached.