Fields of Fire Read Online Free Page B

punched him in the stomach. Henry doubled over and dropped his pistol.
    Donnegan jumped over the table and grabbed Jalene. He held her to him, his own pistol jabbing into her side. “Stop.” Taylor halted in midstep while O’Leary and Henry retrieved their pistols and aimed them at him.
    Donnegan pushed her away from him. He walked over to Taylor and shoved the pistol barrel up under his chin. “You son of a whoremonger, I’m getting bloody damn tired of your antics. Too bad that I still need the likes of you.” He jabbed a vicious elbow into Taylor’s midsection.
    Taylor stumbled backwards, but the blow didn’t produce the effect Donnegan wanted. He reached for Taylor and slammed his fist as hard as he could into Taylor’s belly. “What the hell?” Donnegan stood back and stared at Taylor’s torso. “Take your clothes off.”
    Jalene hid her face in her hands. She had never seen a man’s unclothed body. She’d faced her own dilemma determined not to give Donnegan the satisfaction of seeing the extent of her humiliation. She had used every ounce of her concentration to build a mental wall around herself, pretending she was undressing in her bedchamber at Sorrel House. Now, she wondered what Donnegan was going to do.
    The silence that followed while Taylor disrobed was an eternity to her. Finally, Donnegan spoke.
    “You goddamn fake. You’ve got some balls.”
    Self-conscious and concerned that Taylor now stood naked behind her, Jalene thought she heard Donnegan say “no balls.” She covered her mouth with both hands to smother her exclamation of surprise. Good Lord. He’s a eunuch.
    “Who are you, and why are you padding your midsection? Talk, and you better bloody well hope I believe you.”
    Padding? What padding? Confused and unable to control her curiosity, she turned around. Her eyes naturally focused on his most private place. She experienced a rush of heat and instantly looked away. Taylor was definitely no eunuch.
    “If the truth be known, I’ve no interest in what either you or the lady are about.” Taylor removed his eye patch and proceeded with the story he planned to tell should his disguise be discovered. “I was following my wife. I suspected her of being unfaithful. I padded my belly and wore this eye patch so she wouldn’t recognize me. When I went to return the package the lady dropped I thought she might not want to be with you.” Taylor waited for Donnegan’s reaction and sighed at his expression.
    “An unfaithful wife.” Donnegan stroked his chin for a moment. “I must admit the idea of you being cuckolded pleases me.” A wide grin appeared on his face and quickly disappeared. Abruptly, he motioned with his pistol to O’Leary. “Search his clothes and the padding.”
    O’Leary fumbled through Taylor’s waistcoat pockets, shirt, and breeches. He stuck his hand in each boot down to the toe and tore at the pillow Taylor had used to pad himself. O’Leary was satisfied nothing was hidden.
    Donnegan gave a snide grin. It was time for his guests to meet their fate. He nodded at Henry. The next instant, Henry came forward from behind Taylor and clubbed him with the handle of his pistol. Taylor’s crumpled form settled on the earthen floor. Jalene turned to see what had happened, when she, too, was smacked on the head.
    “Pity,” Donnegan muttered and watched her limp figure land near Taylor’s. “There’s a horse cart half-filled with hay outside. Put them in it. I’ll be right out.”
    Both men bumped into each other in an attempt to be the first to Jalene. “I can handle the wench meself.” Henry shoved O’Leary aside and lifted Jalene into his arms.
    O’Leary didn’t argue with the much larger and stronger man. Instead, he grabbed Taylor under the arms and pulled him, backside downward, out the door.
    Donnegan reached under the table for the blankets he had thrown there. He snuffed out his lantern and left the cottage. When he reached the horse cart, he glared