He was humming under his breath as he shaved, trying but failing to keep a stupid grin from his face. Connie hadn't said no after their talk in the doctor's office. Though she hadn't said yes either, it gave a man hope, and Hel felt like he could live on hope for a good long while.

Rather than push her for an answer, he'd told her he'd be around town for a while, and that if she was free, they could meet up for lunch in a few days. Her answer had been slow, but it felt like her smile was genuine and they'd settled on noon today. It was near that now, and Morgan hurried to get the last of the cream off and checked the result in the tiny square mirror. Not bad, but the long miles he'd spent in the desert chasing Luke Skye were beginning to show. The bruises and lumps from his fight with Payton Hedge were healing.

"You weren't exactly a fruit basket before, you know," he told his pride with a cheeky grin. "Still, you clean up fine."

Tucking in his shirt and buttoning the collar, he was reaching for his gunbelt when a heavy thud and a startled scream came from the adjoining room. He was about to laugh but the next cry was frightened, accompanied by a terrified protest. Hurrying now, Hel was at the room next to his, knocking.

"Dobbie? Arlynn? You alright in there?" By sheer coincidence, he'd got the room next to the honeymooners and had numerous times been driven from his room by their young antics. She always smiled and thanked him for standing up for them whenever their paths crossed, and Dobbie insisted on a handshake. In a strange way, it made Hel feel part of their new family. "Arlynn?"

"I'm fine, Mr Morgan," her shaking voice made him frown. "I tripped is all."

"You hurt? I can-"

"No!" He heard the pure terror in her voice. "No, I'm fine! Please, don't trouble yourself!"

"Alright," thinking quick, Hel nodded to himself. "Can I bring you anything?"

"Dobbie is downstairs gettin' us breakfast, if you could go find him?"

"I hurry him along."

"Thank you," her voice was thick with tears and Morgan stepped back from the door, playing out several scenarios in his head. None of them were good for Arlynn unless he knew who else was in the room with her. His dollar was on Payton Hedge, but that wasn't enough. He had to get a look.

On his way to the attached restaurant, Hel ran into the young husband on his way back, carrying a tray of food. Quickly explaining the situation and what his thoughts were, Morgan barely kept the young man from running in blind. A tight grip on Dobbie's shirtfront kept him still.

"She's going to get hurt if we bust in there without knowing what's going on, so right now, you go to my room and sit tight. I'll get a look-see and then we'll go from there."

"He'll hurt her," Dobbie protested. "Her pa is a brute an' don't like that we got hitched."

"I know, but if he's stickin' his nose in where it don't belong, sometimes the only thing to do is break it."

"Who's gonna do that?"

"I figure I will, unless you got objections?"

"Didn't he whip you last time?"

Scowling at the young man, Hel firmly pushed him toward his room.

"I don't make the same mistake twice, son. Now scoot."

Watching to make sure the young man went into his room, Morgan left the hotel and catfooted it around the side of the building. Late as it was, few people were deliberately braving the heat, so no one noticed him sneaking up on the window. Sliding up, he took a quick glance in then moved back, scowling. Payton Hedge wasn't giving up without fighting dirty. Arlynn was sitting on the bed, hair wild, face streaked with tears, a mark on her cheek.

"Ya know, Payton old son," Hel muttered sourly. "I'm getting tired of your bein' so thick-headed."

Ducking under the window, he went to his own and tapped it, shushing an eager Dobbie who almost broke the glass in his haste to open it. Hel told him the situation and outlined his plan.

"You in?"

"Shouldn't we get the sheriff?"

"We're out of time, son. If nothing happens soon, Payton will expect a trap and the game will change. Now, are you in."

"Yessir," stiff features and hard eyes met his. "I'm tired of his takin' such a high hand with my wife!"

"Good man. Get going, and remember, wait for my signal."

"I will."

Slipping back to the other window, Hel risked another fast look, noting that Hedge wasn't armed. Fixing the thong over his pistol to keep it secure, Hel tugged his bandana from his neck, wrapping it snuggly over his fist. Rapping hard on the glass, he kept well out of sight. After a count of three, he rapped again, rattling the pane. When a moving shadow told him someone was at the window, Hel stepped into view. Payton's ugly face met his mocking smile but before the big man could do anything, Hel smashed a fist through the pane, catching Hedge across the mouth.

As Payton stumbled back with a savage cry, Hel came through the window after him, boots crunching the shards. He ducked the big man's wild swing and shot back with one of his own, stabbing Hedge with a hard fist that rocked him backwards. Agile on his feet, he moved away, letting Payton follow him as the door quietly opened. Dobbie slid inside and gathered a terrified and relieved Arlynn from the bed, then they were gone. Hel had told him once Arlynn was safe to go fetch the sheriff.

"You," Payton spat a glob of blood to the floor. "Stickin' yer nose in where it ain't wanted!"

"You're one to talk. What kind of father interrupts his daughter's honeymoon this way?"

"I'll show you!" Lunging at him, Payton locked his beefy arms around Hel and hefted him upright, squeezing with brute force. Knowing he was trying to break his ribs, Hel struggled wildly, jabbing at Hedge's eyes with his thumbs. Payton dropped him with a howl but Morgan wasn't in the mood to wait. He threw a solid punch to the chest, sending Hedge careening off balance.

Stepping up to him before he could get set, Hel threw his full weight behind his right fist, connecting solidly with Payton's face. Cartilage crunched, blood spraying everywhere as the big man's nose broke. With a howl of rage, blinded by watery eyes, Hedge lunged after him, swinging wide with both hands. Clipped on the shoulder by a wild left, Morgan staggered, nearly tripping over an overturned chair. Another jab caught his side, folding him over but Hel managed to dodge the brutal stab that would have dropped him.

Rolling sideways, he threw a left that grazed Payton's jaw, a right that connected with his windpipe, then another left popped his head back. Fists up and ready, Hel was starting to feel the tingling buzz of fury snake through him. A brutal, merciless lust for battle that he'd kept locked away for years. When Hedge wiped the blood from his face, glaring at him with one good eye, Morgan grinned.

"Had enough?"

"Jest ya wait, ya low down cur," struggling to catch his breath, Payton glared hatefully at him. "I'll teach ya a lesson ya won't forget,"

"Come on then, I'm right here."

"Hold it!" The sheriff's voice cut the tension as he stepped into the room. "Hedge, I'm done tired of talkin' to you! Up, now! A few days in jail outta cool you down! And who broke that window!"

"I did, Sheriff," Hel grinned bleakly at him. "I'll pay for it."

"Morgan, I'm gettin' a mite tired of cleanin' up after you."

"I only did what I had to, Sheriff."

"You know, I wouldn't lose any sleep if you left town."

"Is that an order?" A suddenly baleful pair of green eyes held the sheriff's. The lawman shook his head with a sour grunt.

"No, I reckon I got no cause to order you to go, but no more trouble, you hear me? Next time I'm likely to put you both in jail."

"Noted."

Watching as the big man was trussed up and shuffled away, Hel didn't miss the dark look thrown at him from over Payton's shoulder. He wouldn't forget or forgive this.

"Mister Morgan, sir," Arlynn was crying, sniffling into her sleeve. "Thank you so much!"

"It's fine, Missus Alder, really."

"You saved me!" Tearfully, she glanced at her husband, then back at him. "You saved us both, again. My pa ain't gonna let this go, not as long as we stay in town."

"Maybe you two should think about starting a new life somewhere else."

"Where?" Dobbie had his arm around Arlynn's shoulders. "I'm deputy to the Sheriff, but a lousy one. He don't trust me with nothin' important. I don't even have a gun when I ain't on duty. All I do is clean the jail and make coffee."

Morgan studied him quietly for a moment, then gingerly rubbed his sore jaw.

"Might be a good idea to move on anyhow, Alder. If the sheriff isn't willing to take the hard steps to protect you both, you'll have to do it, and that only ends one way."

Dobbie accepted that in silence, while Arlynn gazed at Hel in growing horror.

"You mean, my pa is going to kill Dobbie, unless he dies first,"

"It's a sad fact, Missus Alder. I'm sorry."

He left the couple staring at each other, wondering what their next step ought to be.