“Leave,” Mr. Barrington said in an icy tone.
Abby sensed if there weren’t women and children around, Mr. Barrington would have shot Collier.
Collier tossed the cookie on the ground. Instead of leaving, he leveled his gaze on Abby. “She owes me a dance.”
Abby could feel her knees shaking even as she squared her shoulders. “I’ll never dance with you, Mr. Collier.”
Mr. Barrington stiffened, a sure sign he didn’t want her speaking.
“Ain’t I good enough for you, Miss High and Mighty?”
Abby opened her mouth to tell him just what she thought of him, but Mr. Barrington shot her a look that told her to be quiet.
Chuckling, Collier dropped his gaze to the boys. “Is those your boys, Barrington? They sure are growing like weeds.”
“Leave,” Barrington growled.
Abby tugged the boys behind her skirts. “They are my boys and I’d thank you to look away from them. You’re scaring them.”
Quinn peeked around Abby’s skirts. Collier scrunched up his face. He shouted, “Boo!”
The boy squeaked and buried his face in Abby’s skirt.
Mr. Barrington cocked his gun. “Five more seconds and you die, Collier.”
Collier held up his hands as if surrendering. “I was just making conversation.” Carefully, he backed away and moved toward his horse, a black gelding with whip marks on his haunch. Collier swung his body up into the saddle. “They is your boys, isn’t they Barrington. They got their ma’s blue eyes. Elise was her name, wasn’t it? My, but she was a pretty little thing.” He let his gaze roam the length of Abby’s body. “She ain’t as pretty, but I wouldn’t toss her out of my bed if she climbed into it.”
Mr. Barrington fired his gun through the center of Collier’s hat. The hat fell off his head. A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd.
Collier seemed unfazed. “You always was a good shot. But I’m better.” He glanced down at his hat, poking his finger in the hole. “Maybe next time we’ll get a chance to figure out who’s best.”
Mr. Barrington cocked his gun and this time aimed it at Collier’s head.
Collier jabbed his spurs into his mount’s side and rode off, kicking up dust on the food table as he left.
Only after Collier had cleared the end of town did the others begin to talk. Nervous laughter rippled over the crowd, but Mr. Barrington remained rigid. There was a feral edge about him that was both frightening and alluring. The beast barely reined in for society.
Mr. Barrington didn’t relax his stance until Collier was out of sight.
Abby felt a ripple of excitement as she stared at Mr. Barrington’s back. She’d never seen anyone so brave. Just the sight of him excited her beyond reason.
She let out a sigh. He didn’t love her, likely never would. But she’d never wanted a man more than she wanted him.
Rage pumped through Matthias’s veins as the crowd of townspeople smacked him on the back and thanked him. He’d worked hard these last six years to restrain the savage side of himself, but today it had nearly wrestled free of its chains.
When Collier had looked at Abby, he’d wanted to murder the bastard. And he’d have done just that if there’d not been so many children around to witness the violence.
Now that Collier had left, the homesteaders and townspeople started to talk. Their nervous chatter buzzed around his head. Several congratulated him but he was in no mood for niceties. Everyone quickly got the hint and started to back away from him.
Which suited him just fine.
Abby moved toward him with Tommy on her hip, Quinn holding her hand. Tommy had his head on her shoulder and was sucking his thumb. He noted how comfortably the boy fit on her very sumptuous hips. Her full lips were curved into a frown.
Need coursed in his veins and if he had his way he’d have dragged her to the first bed he could find and have her. They’d not see daylight for days.
What the hell was wrong with him? He was acting like an animal.
Matthias shoved a shaky hand through his hair. Life had taught him patience, and he desperately clung to each and every lesson he’d learned the hard way.
“I thought I told you to stay back. Stay out of sight.” A portion of his pent-up rage tumbled out with the words.
Abby didn’t flinch. “That man made me so angry I couldn’t stay quiet.”
His hand still on his gun, he fingered the smooth wood of the handle. “A woman out here needs to be careful. The polite rules of society don’t apply here. His kind would think nothing of dragging you behind a building and—” He stopped when she cupped her hand over Tommy’s ear. “You need to understand the dangers.”