Mystic Mountains

He knew that was true, but the others made do with Lily, knowing Tiger would kill them if they so much as set one finger on Bella. Tear them limb from limb in fact. He was ready to rip Jones apart right now.
    Silently he made his way in a semicircle until he stood close enough to see Isabella's pale face. Jones had an arm locked about her middle. He looked about, agitated, the pistol raised, ready to fire.
    Bella 's hair was a wild halo about her face. Tiger swallowed. He had to get her away from Jones, and there was only one way to do that.
    "Jones, " he yelled, throwing himself at them. He barely had time to see the look of astonishment on Jones' face and the anguish flash across Bella's before Jones fired. "Drop, Bella," he shouted before he fell, rolling to one side. A sharp pain in his shoulder made him wince but he ignored it and fired at Jones in the second after she broke away.
    For a moment Jones stood as if turned to stone, then, a look of utter disbelief on his face, crumpled slowly to the ground.
    "Tiger." Isabella stumb led across the intervening space and fell onto her knees at Tiger's side. Sweet heaven, there was blood on his shirt. Jones had killed him. "Please, no, dear God no," she moaned, touching the back of his head as he lay still. "Tiger, get up. You can't be dead."
    But he was, she knew it. His shirt grew redder with his blood.
    "I 'm fine, 'tis but a scratch," he mumbled.
    Isabella stared down at the s till form. "Tiger?" She put a hand tentatively on his shoulder. "Please tell me you're all right."
    "I 'm all right." With a soft groan he turned, a hand to his head as he gazed up at her. "As I said, 'tis but a scratch." Groaning again, he came into a sitting position, then looked over his shoulder. "Has he moved?" he asked.
    "I don 't know. I was looking at you, but I haven't heard anything out of him. Hopefully he's dead."
    "Bloodthirsty wench—t hough I don't suppose I can blame you. Still and all, you brought it on yourself. What possessed you to go off on your own like that, woman?"
    "I wasn 't alone," she snapped back. "I had Johnny and Agnes with me. We were getting along very well too. Until that idiot chose to come and mess everything up."
    "Very well? My God, woman, he could have killed you." Tiger stood, a hand to the red stain on his shirt sleeve.
    Isabella instinctively put a hand out to assist him as she got up. She drew it back sharply when he scowled at her.
    Tiger went and knelt at Jones' side. He put a finger to the pulse-point in his neck. "He's dead," he stated flatly. He sighed heavily. "I'll have to take his body back to the barracks. I expect we'll all have to tell our story to the magistrate."
    "Let me tend your wound," Isabella said softly, standing at his side.
    Tiger grimaced. The wound stung like hell. Still, it could have been a lot worse. Jones might have caught him through the heart instead of the other way around.
    Tiger walked towards her campsite, knowing she trailed him. Tim came at a run when he saw Jones wasn't with them.
    "Tiger, Mama," he shouted, frowning when he saw the blood on Tiger 's shirt. "Did he shoot you?" His lips began to tremble as Johnny and Agnes, carrying Annie, also came near.
    " 'Tis nothing."
    "Here, sit down." Isabella pushed him onto the log. "Agnes, fetch clean rags." Biting her lip Bella watched as Tiger undid his shirt and peeled it off. She gasped, but he shook his head.
    "It looks worse than it is, don't fuss," he said.
    "We need warm water, Agnes. First we 'll bathe it. We need spirit to cleanse the wound." She looked about as Agnes put the baby into her cradle and went into the tent. "I have none, Tiger."
    "I 'll see the barracks doctor when I take Jones's body across, don't fret. Just clean it up for now, and bind it. I'll have to leave straight away."
    Agnes set the bowl of heated water down at Isabella 's side. As she tended the wound Tiger said quietly, "I can't believe he brought up the subject of Dougal's death. Do you suppose the men agree with him?" The baby began to cry. "Go see to Annie, Agnes. And take Tim with you." When the girl had taken Tim out of hearing, he said, "He could be right."
    "Don 't be daft, Tiger"
    He shook his head, wincing when she began to bind the wound, which, as he 'd said, was just a scratch. "I still have bad dreams you know, Bella. I should have gone over to make sure he was dead."
    "I wouldn 't have let you, Tiger. Damn that fool Jones."
    Tiger looked at her silently, then said, "That's