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“I can’t do that, madam.” The tall man glanced to the side as the third large man joined them. “Hand him over, and I give you my word, you will not be touched.”
“Get out of my way, or I give you my word that I will shoot him right now.”
The tall man’s eyes narrowed. “I think you’re bluffing.”
She kept her gaze locked on his, fighting the urge to look away.
The train whistle shattered the tension, and Bridget jumped at the unexpected screech. Her hand opened, and she fumbled to catch the watch before it fell to the ground.
“Get him!” the tall man yelled.
Everything happened very quickly. Kelly pushed her out of the way as the three men rushed him. She stumbled over her skirts and went to her knees. She pushed up again just as someone called, “All aboard!”
“No!” She started for the train, but she couldn’t leave Kelly behind. He had his hands full with the three men circling him. As she watched, he threw a punch at the flat-nosed thug, but it glanced off the man’s cheek, doing little harm. The tall man grasped his arms from behind, but Kelly slammed his elbow back, and the tall thug bent double.
Bridget was used to seeing men who could fight, and she knew skill when she saw it. The enormous wheels of the train began to move, and she started for it. She could still jump aboard, but how to free Kelly to join her?
And if that wasn’t problem enough, the fourth thug was racing toward them. He had his full attention on Kelly, so Bridget unhooked her umbrella from her arm and stuck it into his path at just the right moment. He went down hard and she closed in, bashing him in the back of the head with the umbrella’s solid wood handle.
One down.
The train was moving in earnest now. She had less than a minute to jump aboard. “Mr. Kelly, we must go!” she called.
“I’m coming—” He threw a punch and missed. “—as fast—” The tall man hit him in the shoulder, and Kelly reeled back. “—as I can, lass.”
“Must I do everything?” she muttered to herself. She dug in her reticule and pulled out all the coins she possessed. In one motion, she flung them onto the platform. As she’d expected, the men glanced at the dropping coins, and realizing what they were, dove for them.
Well, two of the thugs dove for them. The tall man turned back to Kelly, ducking his right hook.
The train was moving quickly now. She could see the last cars approaching. She began to jog to keep up. “Mr. Kelly, now would be an excellent time to board.”
He feinted left then punched the tall man in the throat. Bridget turned away and, running now, grasped the stair railing, pulling herself onto the steps of the car just as the rearmost car passed the struggling men.
“Mr. Kelly! Now or never!” she yelled as the train whistle sounded for the last time.
Kelly grabbed the tall man by the coat, pulled his head down, and slammed his forehead against the tall man’s. Bridget winced, but the desperate maneuver worked. The man stumbled away, and Kelly began to run toward the train. He shook his head as though dizzy, and Bridget realized he wasn’t running fast enough. He’d never catch the last car.
“Hurry!” she called.
Kelly looked up at her and increased his speed then stumbled at the last moment.
“No!” Bridget called as Kelly went down and the train sped away.
