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"I am," said the red-haired man "You’ll know me?" The tone of the question was distinctly unfriendly

Roger took a deep breath, cursing his own dishevelht have described hi a good deal

"Well, you--look quite a bit like your daughter"

The young ave a loud snort, but Fraser didn’t look around

"And what business have ye wi’out froerated He was big, even an inch or two taller than Roger hiled with his confusion What the hell had Brianna told hiry that--well, he’d sort that out when he saw her

"I’ve coed in Fraser’s eyes Roger didn’t knohat it was, but it made him drop his hat, and half raise his hands in reflex

"Oh, no, ye’re not" It was the boy who had spoken, in an odd tone of satisfaction

Roger glanced at hi, bony knuckles white on the pistol’s grip

"Here be careful! You don’t want that to go off by accident," he said

The young oes off, it’ll be no accident"

"Ian" Fraser’s voice stayed level, but the pistol lowered, reluctantly The big er’s, deep blue and slanted; unnervingly like Brianna’s

"I’ll ask only the once, and I mean to hear the truth," he said, quite er felt his face grow hot as a flood of warmth washed up from chest to hairline Christ, what had she told her father? And for God’s sake, why? The last thing he had expected to hter’s virtue

"It’s…ah…well, it’s not what you think," he blurted "I mean, we…that is…we meant to…"

"Did ye or no?" Fraser’s face was no more than a foot away, completely expressionless, save for whatever it was that burned, far back in his eyes

"Look--I--damn it, yes! She wanted to--"

Fraser hit hiasping from the blow It didn’t hurt--yet--but he’d felt the force of it all the way to his spine His principal feeling was one of aet enough breath to talk "Stop! For God’s sake, I said I--"

Fraser hit hilancing blow that scraped the skin and left his jawbone throbbing Roger jerked back, fear turning rapidly to fury The bloody sod was trying to kill hier ducked and whirled Well, to fk with good faing out of his coat To his surprise, Fraser didn’t co

The blood was druer’s ears, and he had no eyes for anyone but Fraser If it was a fight the bugger wanted, that’s what he’d get, then

Roger crouched, hands up and ready He’d been taken by surprise, but he wouldn’t be caught that way again No brawler, still he’d been in his share of pub fights They ell ht and reach, and he had e on the ht, ducked and countered, felt his fist brush linen as it passed Fraser’s side and then the left he hadn’t seen took hiht exploded through the side of his head, and tears ran down his cheek as he launched hi

He hit the man; he could feel his fists strike flesh, but it seeh his one sound eye, he could see that broad-boned face, set in eerie cal, and it disappeared, bobbed up again; he swung, grazing an ear A blow struck hi half around with it, recovered, and launched hiritted between clenched teeth He had his arive as he squeezed He’d crack the bastard like a nut "Mine…hear?"

Fraser rabbit-punched hih to nurip, hunched and drove his right shoulder hard into Fraser’s chest, trying to drive the older man off his feet