Rescuing the Heiress

He had to push his way through to get to the women. Tess was standing her ground but poor Annie was cowering and weeping into her hands.

“Shame on you,” Tess shouted at their nearest adversaries as she pulled the crying girl closer. “See what you’ve done? You’re nothing but a bunch of nasty bullies.”

Hearing that kind of talk made Michael cringe. He clenched his fists as he joined the young women and quickly placed himself between them and their antagonists. Surprise was on his side. Numbers were not. He was only one man and there were at least five of the others, two of whom looked able to defend themselves most adequately.

He slipped his arm around Tess’s shoulders, including Annie in the embrace as best he could and said, “Sorry boys. My sisters need to be getting home. C’mon, girls. Papa’s waiting.”

It didn’t surprise him one bit when Tess tried to twist out of his grip as he began to shepherd them away.

“Let go of us,” she grumbled, loud enough to be heard by almost anyone within twenty or thirty feet.

Michael grinned over his shoulder at the other men and shrugged as if silently appealing for sympathy. The ruse worked. They started to chuckle and one of them gave him a thumbs-up.

Beside him Tess continued to make loud, intemperate statements as he hustled her along the sidewalk. “Stop this. I demand you release me, Michael Mahoney. Do you hear me? There is no need for strong-arm tactics. I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, yeah?” He lowered his voice. “And how were you going to get away from that confrontation back there? Talk them out of it?”

“I was handling the situation quite adequately.”

“That wasn’t how it looked to me,” he argued.

Deciding that they were out of danger, at least for the moment, he slackened his hold and Tess immediately shook him off.

She paused long enough to straighten her hat, withdraw one of the long pins that had held it in place and brandish the thin shaft like a sword. “See? I could have defended myself.”

“For about two seconds, until one of those fellows disarmed you.” He eyed the flimsy weapon. “Put that away before you hurt somebody.”

“You mean like you?”

“Yeah, like me,” Michael answered. “You seem to be having trouble telling your friends from your enemies these days and I’d just as soon be out of reach if you suddenly decide I’m one of the villains.”

“According to Mrs. Blassingame, that woman who took your seat, it’s Maud Younger who’s evil. Imagine that.”

“I can. Easily,” he countered. “Almost any man out here would agree.” He knew he’d spoken too candidly when he saw Tess’s eyes narrow. Although she did stick the hat pin back where it belonged, her motions were abrupt and jerky, indicating that her temper was far from soothed.

She grabbed Annie’s hand and forged ahead with the girl in tow. Rather than object, Michael fell into step in their wake. Their party was now far enough from the pavilion that they wouldn’t automatically be connected with the ongoing suffrage lecture if they happened to be observed. That was a huge relief.

“Turn right at the corner of Market,” he called. “The buggy is down about half a block. You can’t miss it.”

Although Tess didn’t answer, he noted that she was heeding his instructions. Fine. Let her brood or fuss and fume or whatever else she wanted to do. As long as she went straight to the cabriolet without getting into any more trouble on the way, he’d be satisfied. It had been sheer folly to let himself be talked into making this trip in the first place. The sooner it was over, the happier he’d be.

Tess would have given a month’s allowance to have had another handy mode of transportation. Oh, she knew she could hire a hack to deliver her and Annie to the top of Nob Hill or even take a streetcar part of the way. It wasn’t that. The problem was, she had to see to it that her father’s rig was returned promptly and in apple-pie order. He was rightly proud of the sleek black, covered buggy with its deep green trim and bloodred upholstery, as well as his fine stable.

The bay mare that they were driving tonight, however, was technically Tess’s. It had been a birthday gift, although her father still acted as if he were lord and master over his entire domain, including all the horses, even hers.

Without waiting for assistance she approached the side of the cabriolet, hiked her skirts, placed a booted foot on the small step and reached for a handhold with which to pull herself aboard.

The oversize coat was a bother because it hampered her freedom of movement. Nevertheless, she did not intend to stand there and wait for a bossy man who obviously didn’t think she could take care of herself.

She grasped the slim metal roof supports with gloved hands and pulled herself up. Or tried to. She did lift partway off the ground but that was as far as she got. Not only was she stopped abruptly when a portion of the hem of her coat was caught beneath her boot, that yanking action caused her to lose her grip.

Tess was badly off balance before she even realized she’d made an error. Arms cartwheeling like the blades of a misaligned windmill, her body stretched and began a slow motion, backward arc.

Annie screeched. “Look out!”

Tess gritted her teeth. In the split second it took her to realize what was happening, she barely had time to hope her fall wasn’t going to harm her best friend.

Gasping once, Tess stifled a scream. She threw her arms back to try to catch herself, fully expecting to feel the impact of the cobblestones through her skirt and petticoats as she landed.

Then, suddenly, she was caught up in strong arms that swung her away from Annie and safeguarded them both.

“I’ve gotcha. You’re okay,” Michael said, sounding breathless.

Tess’s instincts for self-preservation kicked in and she sensibly looped one arm around his neck to stabilize herself. That brought their faces closer together than they had ever been before.

Her eyes widened. The brim of her elaborately decorated hat was the only thing keeping them apart and she could feel his warm breath through the veil.

She wanted to speak in her own defense, perhaps even to chastise him for taking such liberties. But no suitable words came to her, nor could she seem to find enough fresh air to satisfy her needs.

Michael stared into her eyes. He was not smiling. “Are you all right, Miss Clark?”

Tess tried to take another usable breath, this time succeeding. “Yes.” It was hardly more than a hoarse whisper.

She found it impossible to look away, to tear her gaze from Michael’s. Eyes that she had always known were a rich brown had become bottomless pools of indescribable emotion. Their eddies whirled, drawing her further and further in until she was as lost in their depths as a hapless mariner abroad in a hurricane.

Still, Michael held her close. Neither of them moved. Neither spoke. Tess noticed for the first time that she was actually embracing him and she knew it was wrong to continue to do so. She was also unwilling to relax her hold even a smidgen.

It was Annie whose words finally brought Tess to her senses. The girl grasped her sleeve. “Miss Tess! Are you all right? Are you faint?”

“No.” The denial didn’t sound nearly as firm as she’d intended. She began lean sideways and to push her rescuer away. “I’ll thank you to put me down.”

“Gladly.” Michael set her on her feet so abruptly that Tess swayed for a moment. Although she knew instinctively that he was close enough to catch her again if she faltered, she was determined to thwart any such efforts.

Instead, she reached for Annie’s hand to steady herself. “My coat was caught. I think I may have stepped on the hem. I’m fine, now.”

“I know. I saw,” Annie said. “I’m so sorry. If I’d realized sooner I’d have helped…”

Behind them Michael cleared his throat. “If you ladies are through making apologies, I suggest we be on our way. Once that lecture is over and the crowd disperses, we could be delayed a long time by traffic.”

“I agree,” Tess said.

She took the hand he offered, careful to keep from looking directly at him as she gracefully gained her seat and scooted over to make room for Annie.

What on earth had just happened between her and Michael? She could barely think, let alone recall every thing that had transpired. He had caught her and kept her from falling, of that she was certain, but in the ensuing seconds something extraordinary had passed between them. Something she had never before felt with anyone, let alone an appealing man like him.

There had been a depth to their poignant bond that was inexpressible. And he had felt it, too. She knew he had. Chances were good that he’d be able to continue to mask his emotional involvement but she wasn’t fooled. She’d seen it in his eyes, had felt it in the way he’d held her close. Michael Mahoney had been every bit as touched as she had and no amount of rational thought was ever going to convince her otherwise.

Rational thought? Tess had to smile. There was nothing rational about the way she was beginning to feel about Michael. On the contrary, if she had been anyone but who she was, she might have been foolish enough to imagine she was falling in love with the handsome fireman.