Page 49 of Cloaked in Beauty

“Easy, Rusty. Pay him no mind.”

But a wolfish growl drowned out her words. He pulled against her.

“Heel, Rusty.” She forced more authority into her voice and gave a tug on the leash.

“Ho, there,” Philip called in a cheerful voice. “Mind callin’ your dog back? Ours is a bit territorial. Would hate for the two to get into a scuffle.”

A large hound appeared at the edge of Letty’s vision. He snapped at the packhorse’s legs as if culling a weak steer from its herd.

A disturbing cackle sent chills running along Letty’s neck. “Fang there’s the best fighter in two counties. He ain’t afraid of no scuffle.”

Fang? Good heavens.

Rusty began to bark in earnest and strained at the leash.

“Call back your dog.” Philip’s voice hardened like quenched steel. “He’s disturbing my horses.”

The hound snapped at the packhorse’s heels again as if he thought it all some kind of game. The packhorse shied, kicking out at his tormentor. The hound dodged the horse’s hoof, then danced behind him to snap at Shadow. His teeth nipped flesh, and Letty’s mare reared. Letty squealed as she fought to keep her seat. The sound galvanized Rusty, and before she knew what had happened, he attacked, surging forward with such strength that the leash tore from her hand.

“Rusty. No!”

But her wolf was beyond obedience. With a deadly snarl, he lunged forward and bit the troublemaker on the shoulder. The hound whimpered and darted away, but Rusty gave chase. Too intent on protecting his adopted pack to heed his mistress’s call.

Letty got Shadow under control just in time to see Rusty catch up to the black hound. The two fell on each other, snarling and growling like something from a nightmare.

She had to stop them. She urged Shadow forward, but Philip cut in front of her.

“Get off the bridge. Now.” His voice still rang with steel, but it was the fear in his eyes that hit her the hardest.

He released his hold on the packhorse’s lead and swatted the animal on the rump. The small horse ran for the shore, more than eager to escape the chaos of the bridge.

Tears filled her eyes as she wagged her head. “I can’t leave him, Philip. I can’t!”

“I’ll take care of him. I promise. Now, go!” He smacked Shadow’s rump as well, and her mare leapt forward.

Letty held on, her heart throbbing. She trusted Philip, but his duty was to protect her, not her wolf.

As she passed the vile man with the creepy cackle, she saw his arm move in a direction that caused her to pull on Shadow’s reins.

“Is that a wolf?” The foul-smelling man drew a revolver from his holster. “Get him away from my dog, or I’ll shoot ’im.”

No. Please, God. No!

She turned Shadow around. She couldn’t let that man shoot Rusty.

Philip had dismounted and was doing his best to grab Rusty’s leash, but the snarling dogs made it nearly impossible to get close.

The two dogs finally separated, but Rusty was on the far side, near the trestle. Too far for Philip to reach. The black hound limped as the two dogs circled each other.

The man with the gun cursed at the sight of his battered dog and raised his arm.

“Rusty! Run!” Letty kicked Shadow forward and lunged for the man’s arm.

Rusty sprinted toward her, a new foe in his sights.

“Get off me, woman!” The man yanked his arm away from her and twisted his horse sideways to stay out of her grasp.

Then, like a man well used to inflicting pain on animals, he pulled his boot from his stirrup, and the moment Rusty bounded into range, he kicked out with full force, his boot smashing into Rusty’s side and sending him hurtling toward the trestle. As Letty watched in horror, he skidded through one of the gaping openings and plummeted into the river below.