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When the men finished and handed their plates to the one who had served the food, they shifted their gaze to her. She thought her heart would leap from her chest at the way they studied her.
“Tie her up,” Cyrus ordered one of the men. “Then we’ll make plans.”
Sybil bolted to her feet, thought to run away, but she was surrounded by hard-faced men. One reached for her and yanked her arms behind her back with no pity for how much it hurt.
Brand! She sent him a silent plea, begging him to help her.
He crossed his arms and looked away.
“To think I thought we might be friends.” She spat out each bitter word. She was forced to sit with her back to a tree, trussed up hand and foot.
Cyrus laughed. “Brand don’t make friends. Why, he don’t even like his family much.” He edged up to his brother and gave him an evil grin. He grabbed Brand’s arm and dragged him away. The others followed and stood in a tight circle.
She strained to hear what the men said. She could make out only a few words. Enough to know they planned some kind of robbery and that somehow, though she’d done nothing to invite such treatment, she was to be used as a pawn. People hanged for kidnapping. She tried to find pleasure in the idea, but instead quivered so hard her teeth rattled, and she wished for a blanket to warm herself.
Please, God, rescue me.
Chapter Eleven
Brand squeezed his fists so tight he wondered if his fingers would ever straighten. He ached to break Cyrus’s nose. The man did not have a decent bone in his body.
Brand knew he must keep his emotions under control. There was nothing Cyrus liked better than seeing Brand get upset about something. And nothing had upset Brand half as much as seeing Sybil dragged into the campsite hung across a horse. She must have suffered a great deal, riding like that. And knowing Cyrus, Brand had no doubt his brother had been inappropriate. The only consolation was that Sybil seemed unharmed and full of spunk. If not for the seriousness of the situation he might have smiled to see how feisty the serious little Sybil had grown.
Cyrus faced him across the tight circle. “Now, little brother, you can help us out or watch us have a little sport with that gal over there.”
Brand shrugged. “She’s just a young lady.” He hoped to convey the impression he didn’t care what happened to her. “One of the ranch owner’s friends.” Maybe that would give them pause.
Cyrus snorted and the others pressed closer. Pa managed to squirm a little at the idea of abusing a young lady, but their father had never stood up to Cyrus and Brand didn’t expect he would start now.
“Little brother, you can’t fool us. We seen you with her. I never seen you spending time with anyone before.”
“You don’t know a whole lot about what I do. For instance, who did I spend last winter with?” Let Cyrus mull on that for a while as Brand scrambled to think how to get Sybil away unhurt.
“Who cares? That was then. This is now.” Cyrus waited.
So did Brand. Unexpectedly, he thought to ask God for help. Lord, a good idea would be right handy about now. But when had God ever sent a way out of his family situation? Suddenly Brand didn’t care if he was a Duggan or not. Lord, help me get Sybil out of this situation. This prayer mattered more than any he’d ever offered. Would God answer?
“The ranchers will all be after you as soon as they discover Sybil is missing.”
“Sybil is it? Now, ain’t that a fine name? What do you think, Pa? You like the idea of a Sybil in the family? Sybil and Cyrus has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?”
Brand’s whole body quivered with anger. But he held it in check.
“’Course I know little brother here had his sights on her first, but seems me being the oldest I should get first chance. Right, Pa?”
Pa didn’t say anything.
“’Course I might just enjoy her without marrying. After all, marriage ties you down.”
Brand’s anger erupted. He sprang forward and landed a good hard blow to his brother’s nose before the others restrained him.
Cyrus wiped his nose on his sleeve and laughed. “Knew you cared about her. Now...” his expression hardened “...let’s do some negotiatin’.”
