“We’re gonna have us a hangin’ tonight,” some of the miners yelled, moving into the alley. “And tomorrow we’re gonna bid on Miss Elena’s favors.”
Here we go again, Helen thought. “Any bright ideas now, hot stuff?”
“God, I’d like to duct-tape your mouth. And that condescending nose of yours, too.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“Are you two married?” the Duke asked Rafe. “The little lady’s got a mighty sharp tongue, jist like my wife.”
Rafe shot Helen a “So there!” smirk, and she stuck out her tongue at him. She immediately regretted her immature reaction. Lord, when had she reverted to such childish behavior?
“Did you see what she did with her tongue? Did you?” Pablo enthused to the prospectors who now filled one end of the alleyway. “It mus’ be another trick she ees practicing.”
Helen put her hands over her ears to tune out the raunchy responses to Pablo’s observation.
Rafe looked at her, a smile in his dancing eyes, and Helen threatened, “Don’t you dare say anything.”
The sheriff shook his head from side to side. “Yep, they gotta be married.”
Ignacio pushed his way in front of the sheriff, whining, “When weel I get my money?”
“What money?”
“The reward for capturing El Angel Bandido.”
“This guy’s not the Angel Bandit,” the sheriff declared. “I jist got me a telegram from the marshall in San Francisco today. The slimy snake was caught this mornin’ robbin’ an Army paymaster near the bay.”
“But… but…” Ignacio stuttered. “He mus’ be. He looks jist like him.”
“Mebbe.” The sheriff shrugged. “But unless he has angel wings an’ kin fly, there’s no way he could get here from San Francisco in half a day.”
“He does have angel wings,” Pablo reported joyfully. “On his arse.”
The sheriff looked at Pablo as if he’d flipped his lid. “I thought angel wings were supposed to be on the shoulders,” he said with a guffaw. The other men joined in his derision.
“Show him yer arse,” an embarrassed Pablo urged Rafe.
“Not on your life!” Rafe laughed.
“Elena has wings on her arse, too,” Pablo continued, despite the hoots of ridicule.
Everyone’s attention turned to her. She cringed as hot blood rushed to her face.
“It ees the truth,” Pablo added, more weakly, his shoulders slumping with dejection.
Helen almost felt sorry for the fool. Almost. “For the hundredth time, I… am… not… Elena.” She turned to the lawman then. “My name is Helen Prescott. I’m a major in the U.S. Arm — ”
“Tell them,” Pablo interrupted, calling on Ignacio and Sancho for corroboration. “Tell them she has the angel’s mark on her arse.”
Both men nodded vigorously.
“Si, they both have matching angel wing tattoos on their arses,” Ignacio elaborated. “That proves he ees the Angel, and she ees his woman, Elena.”
“It’s a butterfly,” Rafe and Helen said at the same time.
“Gawdamighty!” the sheriff gnashed out with frustration. “I think ya all lost yer bloomin’ minds.”
“I want my reward,” Ignacio asserted.
“There ain’t gonna be no reward,” the sheriff gritted out. “I already told ya that the Angel Bandit was captured this mornin’ in San Francisco. Now, let’s break up this crowd.”
Ignacio’s crafty face flushed purple with rage. Then he took in the new situation and changed direction. “Well, at least we still have Elena. She weel bring in mucho dolares at the bidding manana.”
“You’re not touching my wife,” Rafe snarled, linking the fingers of one of his hands with hers.
“You can’t prove she’s yer wife. She belongs to us,” Ignacio shouted, pulling on her other arm.
Rafe clasped her hand tighter, glancing at the sheriff.
The Duke’s eyes took in her trousers — clearly scandalous attire for that time — and he rolled his shoulders. “I’m not gettin’ involved in any dispute over a whore. Settle it yerselves.”
Helen seethed.
Rafe squeezed her hand.
Ignacio pulled harder on her other arm.
“Maybe you oughta check out the brands on those horses Ignacio and his gang brought into town tonight,” Rafe suggested coolly to the departing lawmen.
The sheriff stopped suddenly and turned. His narrowed eyes cut to Ignacio, while his right hand began to raise a rifle. Apparently, harassing a whore amounted to no big offense, but horse theft was another matter entirely.